ghost soldier
n.— «Butler is not out of the army officially, but he is morally and mentally. He is a thing apart. He will be a “ghost” soldier, more dead in army circles than any who fell in Flanders field.» —“Convicted But Not Dishonored” Helena Independent (Mont.) Apr. 21, 1926. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Trivia time! Where in the United States can you visit Soda City? If you answered Columbia, South Carolina, you’re right! This nickname apparently derives from an old practice of abbreviating Columbia as Cola. The locals then referred to the town as...
If you speak a second or third language, you may remember the first time you dreamed in that new tongue. But does this milestone mean you’re actually fluent? And a couple’s dispute over the word regret: Say you wish you’d been able...