On the recordFebruary 24, 2016
Today I rise to honor a group of men who played a crucial and unique role in the Allied victory in World War II. The Army's 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, also known as the Ghost Army, used tactical deception to divert enemy troops. Recruited from art schools and ad agencies, these men created false radio transmissions, along with decoy tanks, planes, and other vehicles, to deceive German soldiers while concealing the true movement of our Allied troops. The unit's members included celebrated artists like Bill Blass and Ellsworth Kelly, and men like the late Mickey McKane, who lived in my district. Mickey was recruited from the Pratt Institute and put his expertise in architectural design to good use on the battlefields of Europe. The Ghost Army's activities were classified until 1996, which meant that for years their heroics went largely unrecognized. Last year, my colleague Peter King and I introduced legislation to collectively award a Congressional Gold Medal to the unit. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and give the Ghost Army the recognition it deserves. I hope you will join me tomorrow night on the Hill, where I will be hosting a screening of an acclaimed 2013 PBS documentary, The Ghost Army. As the proud daughter and daughter-in-law of World War II veterans, I am honored to advocate for those who sacrificed so much for our victory. I urge my colleagues to join me in these efforts. ____________________
