33rd Headquarters

The 33rd Headquarters was a specialized unit of the United States Army formed during World War II as part of the "Ghost Army," officially known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. Activated in 1944, its primary mission was tactical deception, using inflatable tanks, sound effects, and fake radio transmissions to mislead German forces about Allied troop movements in the European Theater. The unit played a crucial role in several campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine, helping to save countless lives by diverting enemy attention from real operations. The achievements of the 33rd Headquarters remained classified for decades before their contributions were finally recognized in recent years.