Ghost Army in the News

The shadowy World War II units that duped German forces with inflatable tanks, fake radio communications and stand-in generals will be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal later this month.

Active in the latter part of the war, the U.S. Army's so-called Ghost Army was a diverse mix of artists and engineers, career soldiers and conscripts.

Notable figures among them included fashion designer Bill Blass, photographer Art Kane and painter Ellsworth Kelly, who grew up in Oradell.

For Thomas Sherlock, the most prominent figure was his father, Bayonne native Joseph Sherlock, a U.S. Army Technician turned Oradell-based industrial designer who died in October 2010. The recognition of the Ghost Army is a reminder of the sacrifices his father made but kept close to his chest, Sherlock said.