This article by Svetlana Shkolnikova originally appeared on Stripes.com. Stars and Stripes serves the U.S. military community by providing editorially independent news and information around the world.

WASHINGTON — The surviving members of a secret World War II unit that deceived and tricked Germans on the battlefield will receive a Congressional Gold Medal in a long-awaited March ceremony at the Capitol.

Congress will bestow its highest honor to the Ghost Army on March 21 in recognition of the unique role the unit played in helping defeat Nazi Germany by misleading German forces about the size and location of Allied troops and allowing actual units time to maneuver.

Lawmakers voted in 2022 to award the medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company. At the time, nine former members of the 1,100-man Ghost Army were alive. Just seven members survive today and several are expected to attend the ceremony.