New Monument Honours Role of US Ghost Army in WWII Liberation of Luxembourg

On Thursday 7 September 2023, the US Embassy in Luxembourg, Limpertsberg History Friends (Lampertsbierger Geschichtsfrënn) and the Ghost Army Legacy Project unveiled a new monument (marker) in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg dedicated to the Ghost Army, a special US Army unit that played an important role in liberating the Grand Duchy during the Second World War.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, better known as the "Ghost Army", was a top-secret US Army tactical deception unit that used inflatable tanks, sound effects and radio deception, among other creative tricks, to fool German forces on battlefields in Europe towards the end of WWII. The unit was stationed in Luxembourg for three months in 1944. It carried out 22 deception missions during WWII, more than one-third of them in Luxembourg.

The ceremony unfolded in the presence of the US Ambassador to Luxembourg, Tom Barrett, and Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Yuriko Backes, as well as members of civil society, commemorative organisations and the public. Among the attendees was a group of about ten people (including the sons of two Ghost Army veterans) who had travelled over to Europe from the United States on a historic tour led by award-winning author and documentary filmmaker Rick Beyer as part of the Ghost Army Legacy Project.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Tom Barrett noted the importance of commemorating this "amazing chapter" in US history and in the US-Luxembourg friendship. He noted that this special unit "drew on the creative skills of so many Americans who were able to use their special skills [...] to play a very important role as the United States was working to not only free Luxembourg but to help people throughout Europe." He stressed the importance of remembering the sacrifices "made to protect our freedoms", not least at a time when war has returned to Europe. He added: "We who still remember [WWII] have a duty to ensure that generations after us also know that freedom has come at a price and must not be taken for granted."

Speaking on behalf of the Luxembourg Government, Minister Backes described it as "extremely important" to come together to commemorate this historic event and reflected on the role played by US troops in liberating the Grand Duchy during WWII. She noted that the legacy of the Ghost Army had remained relatively unknown until the details were declassified in the 1980s and 1990s - and Rick Beyer's 2013 documentary shed greater light on their efforts. Minister Backes emphasised that "Luxembourg recognises the imperative of safeguarding and passing on the memory of World War II. And we do that in collaboration with our patriotic associations and civil society, because the government tirelessly works to support and promote new initiatives, ensuring that history’s lessons are not forgotten." She added that Luxembourg was "grateful to count on its friends and allies […] to uphold and to defend our common values and principles", not least in the current geopolitical context.

David Dominguez Muller, Secretary of Limpertsberg History Friends, described it as "a great honour" to have been involved in the process of setting up this marker dedicated to the Ghost Army. He explained that the objective of this local history organisation was "to research, document and share information about interesting facts from the past" with a link to Limpertsberg. The Ghost Army was a "rather short" but "important episode in our history, considering the role this unit played in World War II and the impact it had on its outcome." He added that the organisation was "convinced that the installation in situ of this illustrated marker will reinforce the memory of […] the commitment and sacrifices of the US military during World War II […] also among younger generations." This new commemorative marker will become "an essential stop" on future tours organised by the organisation. The organisation's President Anicet Schmit later emphasised that they hoped the marker would "bring this chapter closer" to residents and visitors to the district.

Rick Beyer, President of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, thanked everyone involved in setting up this marker and recalled the importance of keeping the memory of this special unit alive; he noted that only eight of the 1,100 soldiers who served in the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops are still alive today. He added that their story serves as a reminder that "bravery comes in many forms."

Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Robert Dahl, whose late father Harold Dahl served in this special unit, noted that he was visiting Luxembourg as part of the Ghost Army Legacy Project tour which began two weeks ago and traced the special unit’s journey. The tour started in London, with stops near Stratford-upon-Avon, the Normandy beaches and Luxembourg, among others. He noted that during the war, his father had been close with a local family with whom his own family have remained in touch over the years. Robert has visited Luxembourg four times before, as the place has special significance for him.

Dale Skuldt, whose father Harold Skuldt also served in the Ghost Army, described the monument unveiling as an "unexpected" but welcome part of this legacy tour which had traced the Ghost Army's path through Europe.

The ceremony took place next to a replica of an inflatable tank like those used by the Ghost Army. The new monument is open to the public at 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, L-1511, outside the building that housed most of the Ghost Army unit between 25 September and 22 December 1944 (on the site of today’s Campus Limpertsberg of the University of Luxembourg).

On Thursday evening, members of the public could also attend a screening of the documentary The Ghost Army in the Bâtiment des Sciences (same address as the monument) to learn more about this top-secret unit.