History Class Discovers Nuanced Stories from WWII at Soldiers Memorial

In November, our World War II History class, taught by Upper School History Teacher Changa Bey, took a field trip to Soldiers Memorial Military Museum in downtown Saint Louis. Specifically, they visited the traveling exhibition entitled «Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II.»  Bey shared, «The visit fit within the context of our WWII class from the perspective of learning about unique and nuanced stories from WWII.  A big focus this year has been going beyond the traditional course of war and looking at the human aspects of the war and its impact on our world today.»

The Ghost Army exhibit runs through mid-January. Here is the description of the exhibit as stated on the Missouri History Museum website:

«Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II explores the story of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a top-secret unit that waged war with inflatable tanks and vehicles, fake radio traffic, sound effects, and even phony generals. This carefully selected group of artists, engineers, professional soldiers, and draftees—armed with nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns—saved thousands of lives and played an important part in Allied victory in World War II.»

Our Rams on the field trip learned a lot at this exhibit. Hear what they got out of the visit below!

Jacob Daus ’25 wrote, «The Ghost Army members were from all walks of life and were mostly artists and set makers who use their talents to deceive the Axis. The museum emphasized how even though this group may have been forgotten, they were instrumental in changing the outcome of the war by deceiving the enemy. In addition to the exhibit, the museum had a section on how St. Louis was involved in the war effort. The museum did a fantastic job at detailing many of the St. Louis civilians who joined the call to service, including how many Cardinal players also participated in the war effort. Overall, the trip was a great opportunity to learn about WWII in a different way than in the classroom!»

«The field trip to the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum truly brought history to life,» said Ray Spencer ’26. «One exhibit that stuck with me focused on the special effort of the Ghost Army. Their objective was to trick the enemy into believing that an attack was about to occur in one place when the actual attack was going to happen in another. Learning about this exhibit taught me about the concept of deceit in warfare and how it significantly impacted the overall outcome of World War II. Also, it was very interesting to hear about the local connections to WWII, including how the war effort shaped our city. This included interviews of veterans telling stories about their personal experiences in the war.

«I’d encourage anyone interested in WWII or history in general to visit and explore these fascinating exhibits and first-hand accounts that are offered at the Soldiers Memorial Museum. It is an amazing educational experience that provides you with a whole new perspective on the contributions of St. Louisans in WWII and beyond.»

«The depth of the confusion that was done by the units [was remarkable] with one of the commanders posing as a colonel who met up with some of his West Point buddies after only two years of graduating and managed to convince his buddies that he was in the right place at the right time, and that was why he was a Colonel.»

Reed Risner ’25 added, «My learning expanded because the Ghost Army exhibit was able to show me a unique unit in the American Military that used deception in battle to help in WWII. What interested me the most about the Ghost Army exhibit was when I learned how they used visual, sonic, and radio deceptions to fool German forces during World War II. I realized that sometimes you don’t have to be on the front lines to helpfully contribute to your side; instead, you can use your artistic skills to contribute. Overall, I really enjoyed the Ghost Army exhibit because it showed a unique regiment in World War II.»

«The field trip to the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum was an eye-opening experience, as it allowed us to explore the internal thoughts of the soldiers,» said Adrian Ritchey ’25. «The museum displayed several pieces of valuable notes that soldiers wrote to their mothers, self-portraits, paintings, and many other personal gifts to send back to their home. I left the museum thinking it is interesting how the Ghost Army used visual props like inflatable tanks, cannons, jeeps, and even planes. They also used portable speakers that played loud sound effects of equipment or troops approaching. Their strategy in proceeding in their routes using these props was brilliant, as it disguised their true attacks and advancements. The Soldiers Memorial Museum is an experience that I would recommend to anyone who is looking to gain an understanding of the war or develop a meaningful connection to the unique strategies the Ghost Army used and to the soldiers.»

Of course, it’s always nice to be able to get out of the classroom and explore history in a more tangible way. Simply put by Bey, «It was fun to be able to get out and explore the city and visit an amazing museum.» What a wonderful learning opportunity the museum and exhibit provided our students which really brought the lessons in our World War II History class to life!