Nazi troops dressed up as GI's

SS COLONEL OTTO SKORZENY

COMMANDER OF THE OPERATION
   

Hitler’s last ditch battle of the Bulge was launched in December 1944 with 300.000 German troops. In addition to conventional forces was included a newly organized 2.500-man unit Panzerbrigade 150, led by Otto Skorzeny, the most successful Nazi commando officer, this was a top-secret mission called Operation Greif [Griffin].

 The most daring and dangerous assignment of Operation Griffin fell to 160 volunteers selected for their proficiency in the English language. Working in teams of three to four men, clad in GI uniforms and driving American jeeps, they would infiltrate Allied lines in advance of the German Panzer units. They were given a crash course in covert operations and conditioned to think, speak and act like American GI’s

Isolated from their comrades this special unit was taken to a training camp and forbidden to write home. They were given instruction in the use of American weapons and plastic explosives. Hollywood films were used , particularly war movies to help the Germans to master American slang and body language. The men were encouraged to chew gum, slouch with their hands in their pockets and salute their officers in a casual manner. When they were judged as ready they received an American uniform, false identity papers and rolls of counterfeit dollars. They all knew it was a dangerous enterprise, they were violating international rules of war and if captured it would mean execution.

Operation Griffin was successful in it’s early stages, but ultimately the undertaking was a failure.