The Ghost Army

Thursday, February 6

7:00 PM

DFAB Room 131 (The Humanities

Our first film of the spring semester will be The Ghost Army, a film by writer/director Rick Beyer.

During World War II, a hand-picked group of American GI's undertook a bizarre mission: create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops used inflatable rubber tanks, sound trucks, and dazzling performance art to bluff the enemy again and again, often right along the front lines. Many of the men picked to carry out these dangerous deception missions were artists. Some went on to become famous, including fashion designer Bill Blass. In their spare time, they painted and sketched their way across Europe, creating a unique and moving visual record of their war. Their secret mission was kept hushed up for nearly 50 years after the war's end.

Released in 2013, The Ghost Army tells the unique story of how this band of artists helped the Allies win World War II through in-depth interviews of surviving members of the famed "Ghost Army" and declassified film footage, photographs, and the artists' sketchbook pages.

Please join us in Room 131 of the Dickey Fine Arts Building at 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 6, for a film that celebrates a fascinating moment in time when art helped win the war.