Ghosts of the Eto: American Tactical Deception Units in the European Theater, 1944 - 1945 [Hardcover]

Jonathan Gawne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2002

No history of the war in Europe has ever taken into account the actions of the men of the US 23rd Special Troops. These men took part in over 22 deception operations against the German Army. Some of these operations had tremendous impact upon how the battles in Europe were fought. The men who participated in these actions were sworn to secrecy for 50 years, and are only now willing to talk about their role.

The 23rd was composed of four main units. A signal deception unit to broadcast fake radio signals, an engineer camouflage unit to set up rubber dummies of tanks and trucks, a combat engineer unit to construct emplacements and provide local security, and a sonic deception company. The sonic unit was developed to fool German listening posts by playing audio recordings of various sounds, such as tanks moving up or bridges being built.

The 23rd was the only tactical deception unit of the American Army in World War ll combining all aspects of deception. This book also covers the birthplace of sonic deception: the Army Experimental Station at Pine Camp; and their smaller sister unit, the 3133rd Sonic Deception company that saw action for 14 days in Italy.

Jonathan Gawne is a leading military historian and is the author of the best selling Spearheading D Day and The US Army Photo Album (both published by Histoire & Collections and available from Casemate) as well as books in the Greenhill Books "GI Series". He has contributed articles to numerous military magazines. He lives in Framingham, MA.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 342 pages
• Publisher: Casemate Pub; First edition (August 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971170959
• ISBN-13: 978-0971170957
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > History > Military > Regiments

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, October 15, 2002

By 

Lewis Corlett (De) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of the Eto: American Tactical Deception Units in the European Theater, 1944 - 1945 (Hardcover)

This is an amazing book.

I bought two others on this subject that came out recently and was very disapointed that they were essentially tales told by old soldiers. This one doesn't just talk about the operations, it shows where, when and what each secret operation was.

Period photos and paperwork are also pictured to back up the claims about what this unit did. Also are organizational charts, roster of officers, and my favorite, an essay about possible connections between Patton and decption. Now there's a book I want someone to write!

Everyone always advertises their books as 'never before seen' and "unknown stories" and all that hooey. This book delivers. Possibly the most important new book on WW2 I have read in the past few years.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine read!, September 10, 2004

By 

Lee Bishop "Slightly crazed but armed..." (Seattle, WA area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghosts of the Eto: American Tactical Deception Units in the European Theater, 1944 - 1945 (Hardcover)

Just when you think everything has been written on the US Army in WW2, Jon Gawne does it again by not only writing on a previously unreported subject, but doing so in a very interesting way!

"Ghosts of the ETO" outlines a unique unit dedicated to fooling the Germans on the battlefield. Now a recognized part of Army Psychological warfare (PSYOP) tactics, the idea was unheard of with the Army in the 1940s. These PSYOP pioneers had among their numbers the most creative and intelligent people the Army could find. For once, "Military Intelligence" was NOT a contradiction in terms. In true Army fashion, these troops were used for duties that were a waste of their talents, such as broadcasting propaganda. But in the end, the Army realized the usefulness that deception troops could play on a mechanized battlefield. Their ability to mislead the enemy into thinking certain units were either there or not there (the opposite of wherever they really were) cannot be underestimated today. The truly sad thing is that until recently, few had ever heard of these pioneers in strategic deception.

Oddly, several books have come out at the same time on this subject. I have read them all, and "Ghosts of the ETO" is far and clear the best of these. Gawne's writing style is unique among many of his peers; he's actually interesting to read. He doesn't get bogged down into what color the loudspeakers were or other trivial facts that most readers couldn't care less about. He has the ability to know when to delve into details of equipment and such, and more importantly, when NOT to. My only complaint is that Gawne couldn't locate more information in the archives when he researched this book, but due to the secrative nature of the unit's operations, this comes as no surprise. "Ghosts of the ETO" provides a fresh, new look at a subject I would have thought had been written to death. And it also will illustrate to future generations that the Army of 1944 was no slow, plodding green monster with no regard for intelligent actions. Far from it. WW2 was the opening stages of what we today consider the "modern" Army. And I for one am glad that Gawne decided to write what is, to date, the best history of this fine unit.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A simply fascinating military history, October 10, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of the Eto: American Tactical Deception Units in the European Theater, 1944 - 1945 (Hardcover)

Ghosts Of The Eto: American Tactical Deception Units In The European Theater 1944-1945 by military historian and expert Jonathan Gawne, provides the reader with an informed and informative look at the 23rd Special Troops, who fought the German army at the end of World War II using deception as an effective military tactic. Telling the compelling story of courageous and cunning soldiers through declassified memos and the testimony of survivors, Ghosts Of The Eto is highly recommended reading as being a simply fascinating military history of a hidden aspect of World War II that would have a profound and lasting influence on military strategy and tactics.