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Ghost Army Legacy Project Launches Grant Program
Applicants are invited to research Ghost Army’s Contributions
Thursday, January 8, 2026
CHICAGO, IL — The Ghost Army Legacy Project (GALP) is launching a Research and Creative Grant program to support and expand public understanding of the unique contributions and legacy of two World War II tactical units: the U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and 3133rd Signal Service Company—better known as the “Ghost Army.”
The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was an 1,100-man unit that carried out 22 deceptions against the Germans in World War II. Using inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery and other forms of deception to mislead the enemy, the Ghost Army baffled German intelligence about the size and location of American forces in more than 20 battlefield deceptions from Normandy to the Rhine River. The unit’s soldiers hailed from 46 states including engineers, writers, farmers and artists. Together, they saved an estimated 30,000 American lives. The 3133rd Signal Company consisted of 200 men, and operated in conjunction with a British visual deception unit to carry out two 1945 deceptions in northern Italy.
Although their dangerous, heroic efforts were kept secret for nearly half-a-century following the war, the Ghost Army was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2024 after friends and families worked for a decade to bring the exploits of the Ghost Army to light.
GALP is inviting applications for three grants up to $4,000 each for a wide variety of possible projects. “We invite applications from graduate students, emerging scholars, museum professionals, early-career researchers, artists, writers, independent researchers, and educators working in any medium or discipline,” says Ghost Army Legacy Project President Rick Beyer.
Proposals are due May 15, 2026, and notification of awards will be on August 15, 2026. Grantees will have one year to complete their projects.
The Ghost Army offers fertile ground for a wide range of research. During World War II, this unique U.S. deception unit drew on state-of-the-art resources from diverse fields to create convincing illusions designed to influence enemy decision-making, including innovative and groundbreaking battlefield techniques that are still in use today. The unit also contained many artists, some of whom became famous after the war. Because of this, the Ghost Army can be studied from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
More information about the grant program can be found here: ghostarmy.org/about/call-for-proposals-fall-2026.
The Ghost Army Legacy Project is a 501(c)3 non-profit supported by individual contributions. The mission of the Ghost Army Legacy Project is to advocate and honor the legacy of the Ghost Army unit through domestic and global initiatives and relevant historical and cultural connections.
Contact:
Rick Beyer, President
Ghost Army Legacy Project
781-801-3261