Renewed push to award gold medal to World War II Ghost Army

BOSTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators are renewing an effort to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army of World War II.

The Ghost Army was made up of two U.S. Army units — the 23rd Special Headquarters Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company — charged with the task of creating decoy army divisions.

The 23rd, numbering just 1,100 men, impersonated up to two divisions — the equivalent of 30,000 soldiers — physically, sonically, and radiographically. They were credited with holding a position for eight days, allowing General George S. Patton to direct all fighting forces at German defenses.

The legislative push is being led by Sens. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House.