"Congressional Gold Medal Awarded to WWII 'Ghost Army' for Deceptive Heroism"
Bernie Bluestein, one of only seven surviving members of the secret World War II "Ghost Army," was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal. The unit, which carried out psychological operations against the Axis powers, played a crucial role in deceiving the Germans and saving the lives of about 30,000 soldiers by creating fake military units and equipment to divert enemy attention. Bluestein, now 100 years old, shared his experiences as a private first class in the 603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion, highlighting the impact of their strategic deceptions during the war.