Home Front Secrets
Unusual and forgotten stories from civilians who lived through the war
6 facts in this category
What was the "Ghost Army" composed of, and what did they do in Europe?
The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops — American artists, designers, and actors who used inflatable tanks, recorded sound effects, and fake insignia to deceive Germans about troop dispositions
The Ghost Army mounted over 20 deceptions. They blasted recorded tank engine sounds from powerful speakers and inflated rubber tanks. Their unit included future fashion designer Bill Blass and painter Ellsworth Kelly. Their existence was classified until 1996.
Why did British wartime propaganda heavily promote carrots as improving night vision?
To conceal British radar technology — the carrot story was a deliberate cover to hide that RAF night intercepts were accomplished by airborne radar, not super-vision from carrot consumption
The British Ministry of Food ran extensive carrot campaigns featuring cartoon character Doctor Carrot. While carrots do contain Vitamin A that aids vision, the exaggerated night vision claim was specifically designed to mislead Germany about new radar technology.
Why was the 442nd Regimental Combat Team unique among US Army units?
It was composed of Japanese American soldiers — many whose families were interned in camps — and became the most decorated US Army unit for its size and length of service
The 442nd earned over 18,000 individual decorations. They rescued the Lost Battalion of Texas soldiers in the Vosges Mountains in 1944. Their motto was Go for Broke. Many fought bravely for a country that had imprisoned their families.
Who was the real inspiration for "Rosie the Riveter"?
Multiple women contributed to the image; the most documented real-life Rosie was Naomi Parker Fraley, a machinist photographed at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California in 1942
For decades another woman was incorrectly credited as the model. Researcher James Kimble uncovered the truth in 2016. Naomi Parker Fraley only received public recognition in her 90s and died in 2018.
What was the role of the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) in WW2, and why were they denied veteran status for decades?
WASPs were civilian women pilots who ferried military aircraft, towed targets for live anti-aircraft gunnery practice, and tested repaired planes — often taking on the most dangerous flight assignments. They were denied veteran status until 1977.
Thirty-eight WASPs died in service. When they died, the government refused to pay for the transport of their bodies home — their friends pooled personal money to send them home. Congress finally granted them full veteran status in 1977, and in 2010 they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
What were Victory Gardens and how much of the US food supply did they produce at their peak?
Home vegetable gardens encouraged by the US government — at their peak, 20 million Victory Gardens produced about 40% of all vegetables consumed in the United States
The government promoted Victory Gardens as patriotic duty. By 1943, Americans had planted gardens in backyards, empty lots, even rooftops. Eleanor Roosevelt grew one on the White House lawn over initial objections from the Department of Agriculture.