World War II's "Ghost Army"

From the May 1st oneindia "Ghost Army's role in Allie's World War II win to be revealed."

This "Ghost Army" helped to win World War II and saved the lives of thousands of British and Americans. An exhibit has opened at the University of Michigan to highlight the service of the US Army's tactics deception unit made up of actors, artists and sound experts who were aided by hundreds of inflatable tanks and artillery and sound experts.

Sometimes, members would go into newly-occupied towns and pose as drunken officers who would tell all sorts of stories for disinformation for German spies who might still be in town.

Stories were gathered from 21 of the surviving members of the group which participated in five major campaigns from D-Day to the end of the war in Europe.

The idea for the unit came from British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery who used plywood tanks to confuse Rommell at the Battle of El Alamein in North Africa.

The existence of the group was kept secret until 1996 and some elements are still classified.

Very Sneaky of Us. --Cooter