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Operation VASELINE

On 10 October when Operation WILTZ terminated, most of the 23rd returned to Luxembourg. A sonic task force, however, headed north for what looked like the first operation inside Germany. This operation was called VASELINE but it never materialized. Its mission was to indicate an Armored Division (5th) concentrating for an attack across the border just south of Monschau. It would have been loud, short and possibly furious because the play area was under intense enemy observed artillery fire. The sonic unit was heavily supported by a company of medium tanks, a company of armored infantry and a battery of armored artillery. The action would have been completed in one night and the real 5th Armored attack was to have jumped off the following morning from a concealed position further south. VASELINE was postponed over a number of days and finally called off altogether when the 5th Armored was deployed elsewhere.

ghost army photo coming soon

​JEEP marked as 5th Armd Div at an outpost along the road north of Wiltz, Belgium. This was during Operation WILTZ (4-10 Oct 1944) and it was just beginning to get cold.

military police jeep

Note special 79th Cross of Lorraine insignia on JEEP parked in Anrath, Germany. Catch the white flags hanging from the windows, too, in Operation VIERSEN (18-24 Mar 1945).

jeep used by 23rd division ghost army

Regimental JEEP of the 30th Inf Div near Dülken, Germany, in Operation VIERSEN. Note heavy wire concentration in this picture and the one above. About 75% of the strands were dummy and only served to spotlight the importance of the CP.

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