By Katie Northcott, News Director
The City of Tullahoma has announced an event for its America 250 Celebration initiative: “An Evening with the Ghost Army.”
The event is being held in partnership with the South Jackson Performing Arts Center. Tullahoma has made details about the event available as a “save-the-date” ahead of ticket sales which will begin on March 1.
The City of Tullahoma, in partnership with South Jackson Performing Arts Center, and in celebration of Tullahoma’s America 250 Celebration initiative, is excited to host acclaimed author and documentary filmmaker Rick Beyer for “An Evening with the Ghost Army” with two showings: a Sunday matinee on May 24, 2026, at 2:30pm and a Memorial Day evening performance on May 25, 2026, at 7pm. The presentation will explore the extraordinary story of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a top-secret WWII deception unit formed in Tullahoma in January 1944.
Officially known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops but famous as “The Ghost Army,” this unique unit used inflatable tanks, sound effects, fake radio transmissions, and even impersonation to deceive Nazi forces about the strength and location of American units on European battlefields. The unit was assembled and trained at Camp Forrest before deploying to Europe, where their “symphony of subterfuge” played a crucial role in Allied operations.
Rick Beyer produced and directed the award-winning PBS documentary The Ghost Army and co-authored the New York Times bestseller The Ghost Army of World War II. Most recently, he served as President of the Ghost Army Legacy Project and led the successful campaign to have the unit awarded the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest honor Congress can bestow – which was presented in March 2024.
“I’m excited to return to Tullahoma to talk about the unit,” says Beyer. “This is the place where the Ghost Army began. The soldiers’ connection with Tullahoma was a strong one, and the story of how this incredible deception unit came to life here and then went on to match wits with the Nazis deserves to be remembered.”
The presentation will detail how the Ghost Army was conceived and assembled at Camp Forrest, the innovative deception tactics they employed, and the lasting impact of their operations. Beyer will also discuss the unit’s unique composition, which included many artists – some of whom became famous, including fashion designer Bill Blass and minimalist painter and sculptor Ellsworth Kelly. One of the inflatable tanks will also be on display for the event.
Rick Beyer is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, New York Times bestselling author, and long-time history enthusiast. He has authored seven books, spoken to audiences around the world, and shared his unique perspective on history through CBS, NBC, NPR, and Fox News. He currently resides in Chicago.
TICKET INFORMATION Tickets go on sale March 1, 2026 at the South Jackson Performing Arts Center box office and online at southjackson.org. General admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. Two showtimes are available: Sunday, May 24 at 2:30pm and Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) at 7pm.
ABOUT THE GHOST ARMY The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was a tactical deception unit of approximately 1,100 soldiers activated in January 1944 at Camp Forrest in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Between D-Day and the end of the war, they conducted more than 20 deception operations, often operating on or near the front lines. Their classified work remained largely unknown until declassification decades later.
For more information about this event, contact Lyle Russell, City of Tullahoma Community Engagement Officer at 931-455-2648 or lrussell@tullahomatn.gov. You can learn more about Tullahoma’s America 250 Celebration initiative at
https://www.tullahomatn.gov/services/tullahoma_s_america_250_celebrations/index.php
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