After a difficult adjustment to the discipline of Army life, James I. Spurrier Jr. deployed to the South Pacific as an infantry soldier. Returning to combat duty after being wounded in New Guinea, he joined the 35th Infantry Division, landing in Normandy on D+1. Excellent in combat, his lack of discipline led to his assignment as a company runner rather than a squad leader. This enabled him to fight on his own, which was his preference.

The special exhibit Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, on view in the Hall of Democracy’s Senator John Alario, Jr. Special Exhibition Hall from March 5, 2020 to January 31, 2021, and curated by the Museum’s James Linn, tells the story of the US Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and their deception operations across Europe through featured artifacts such as artwork, uniforms, an inflatable tank, and more.

The National WWII Museum hosts his official book pre-release event, presented in partnership with 89.9 WWNO-FM, on the 68th anniversary of V-E Day, Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

Mark Calhoun, PhD, offered a detailed examination of General Lesley J. McNair, a man so instrumental to America’s military preparedness and Army modernization but remains little-known today. 

The long and astounding life of Adolfo Kaminsky (1925–2023) typifies a quite modern form of deception—the art of forging documents.