The Journal Gazette reports on a history and art exhibition in Fort Wayne that honors the wartime work of native son Bill Blass and the Ghost Army. Bill Blass, who would later become a renowned fashion designer, served in the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a top-secret U.S. Army unit known as the Ghost Army, during World War II. The exhibition highlights the unit's deceptive tactics—using inflatable tanks, sound effects, and fake radio transmissions—to mislead German forces, and features artifacts, photographs, and artworks related to their missions.
This exhibition matters because it brings local and national attention to a little-known but pivotal WWII unit that saved thousands of lives through creative deception, while also celebrating the early career of a major American fashion figure. By connecting Fort Wayne's heritage to broader military and art history, the show underscores how artistic skills were repurposed for strategic warfare, offering visitors a unique intersection of local pride, art, and military innovation.