Artists spun illusions for US military in WWII

Renderings and images of a few of the artist-warriors from exhibit catalog.

"The CIA Iran rescue operation featured in Argo isn't the first time the U.S. has used the arts to foil a bitter enemy...Armies have been using subterfuge to fool enemy forces for eons, but the Ghost Army was unusually audacious, and especially good at its job: Designing and deploying inflatable tanks, airplanes, and artillery, plus sound effects and other illusion-spinning tactics, to convince the German army that the Allied forces were stronger and more omnipresent than they were.

[Artists such as Bill] Blass and his brothers in arms were recruited from art schools and ad agencies. They were sought for their acting skills. They were selected for their creativity. They were soldiers whose most effective weapon was artistry." Read more here.