(13) In its final mission, Operation VIERSEN, 
in March 1945, the 23d Headquarters, Special 
Troops, conducted a tactical deception that drew 
German units down the Rhine River and away from 
the Ninth Army, allowing the Ninth Army to cross 
the Rhine into Germany. On this mission, the 1,100 
men of the Ghost Army, with the assistance of other 
units, impersonated forty thousand men, or two 
complete divisions of American forces, by using fab-
ricated radio networks, soundtracks of construction 
work and artillery fire, and more than 600 inflatable 
vehicles. According to a military intelligence officer 
of the 79th Infantry, ‘‘There is no doubt that Oper-
ation VIERSEN materially assisted in deceiving the 
enemy with regard to the real dispositions and inten-
tions of this Army.’’. 
(14) Three soldiers of the 23d Headquarters, 
Special Troops, gave their lives and dozens were in-
jured in carrying out their mission. 
(15) In April 1945, the 3133d Signal Service 
Company conducted Operation CRAFTSMAN in 
support of Operation SECOND WIND, the success-
ful allied effort to break through the German defen-
sive position to the north of Florence, Italy, known 
as the Gothic Line. Along with an attached platoon
of British engineers, who were inflatable decoy spe-
cialists, the 3133d Signal Service Company used 
sonic deception to misrepresent troop locations along 
this defensive line. 
(16) The activities of the 23d Headquarters, 
Special Troops and the 3133d Signal Service Com-
pany remained highly classified for more than forty 
years after the war and were never formally recog-
nized. The extraordinary accomplishments of this 
unit are deserving of belated official recognition. 
(17) The United States is eternally grateful to 
the soldiers of the 23d Headquarters, Special Troops 
and the 3133d Signal Service Company for their 
proficient use of innovative tactics throughout World 
War II, which saved lives and made significant con-
tributions to the defeat of the Axis powers. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) AWARD
AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 
of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 
award, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of ap-
propriate design to the 23d Headquarters, Special Troops, 
and the 3133d Signal Service Company, known as the 
‘‘Ghost Army’’, collectively, in recognition of its unique 
and incredible service during World War II.
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 
award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 
Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 
strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 
gold medal in honor of the Ghost Army, the gold 
medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, 
where it will be available for display as appropriate 
and available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
should make the gold medal awarded pursuant to 
this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly 
at appropriate locations associated with the Ghost 
Army, and that preference should be given to loca-
tions affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. 
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price 
sufficient to cover the costs of the medal, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDAL. 
The gold medal struck pursuant to this Act is a na-
tional medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2021. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 707 
AN ACT 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23d 
Headquarters, Special Troops and the 3133d 
Signal Service Company, in recognition of their 
unique and highly distinguished service as a 
‘‘Ghost Army’’ that conducted deception oper-
ations in Europe during World War II.