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IN RECOGNITION OF THE 77TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXERCISE TIGER
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HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it is with a deep and poignant gratitude that I rise today to celebrate the American heroes who lost their lives seventy-seven years ago during Exercise Tiger. Paving the way for the D-Day invasion that would take place on June 6, 1944, Exercise Tiger, while once kept secret, is now regarded as having been both a tragedy and a critically instructive component of the Allies' mission to end World War II. The lives lost on that fateful day were honored by the soldiers who learned from Exercise Tiger and carried their memory into battle during the liberation of France. It is a story we must never allow ourselves to forget.
Before the assembled British, Canadian, and American forces could carry out the D-Day invasion, 4,000 soldiers conducted a massive simulated landing to rehearse and prepare for that immeasurably vital military act. However, what started as a military exercise ended as one of the greatest military tragedies of World War II. The calm, dark night of April 28, 1944, burst into chaos and combat when German U-
boats ambushed the Tank Landing Ships (LSTs) transporting American soldiers. Almost 750 American servicemen, including over 200 Missourians, would give their last full measure of devotion when their vessels were either destroyed or severely damaged. But Allied forces would not be deterred, as the brave soldiers on those vessels banded together to repel enemy attacks and move forward with their mission. Even in the face of immense loss, a well-equipped enemy force, and little help from nearby Allied forces, the tenacity and determination of the soldiers and sailors involved ensured that the landing operations would continue mere hours after the initial attack. Allied Commanders planning the eventual D-Day invasion learned from Exercise Tiger and incorporated new strategies to ensure soldiers would be protected from barrage before landing on the beach. Without the bravery of the forces that fought that day, it is possible that even more American, Canadian, and British lives would have been lost on D-Day, and that the invasion of France, which hinged on secrecy, speed, and synchronicity, would have failed. It is not hyperbole to say that the soldiers and sailors of Exercise Tiger changed the course of world history and that we are forever indebted to their sacrifice.
It is a time-honored tradition in the United States for us to gather and celebrate the heroism and sacrifices of the countless fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children who have died to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats. On the last Monday of May, thousands congregate to quietly observe and remember the names found on marble headstones cascading across Arlington National Cemetery. On the fourth day of July, we join friends and family for a celebration of our nation's independence. On each November 11th, we reach out to the veterans in our lives, thank them for their service, and if we are lucky, listen to their stories of service. Scattered between these national celebrations are memorials hosted in small towns and big cities across America that pay tribute to the local legends who fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear. Every year since 1989, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, alongside the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, have celebrated the heroes of Exercise Tiger with a wreath-laying ceremony at stations across the United States. It is now the longest-running wreath tribute in Coast Guard history.
Moreover, this year, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation has worked with the Audrain County Commissioners to memorialize and celebrate the oft-overlooked heroism of our nation's Black soldiers and sailors. We must never lose sight of the fact that while Black soldiers were fighting for the freedom of France, they themselves were not free in America. As they parachuted in Normandy and stormed Omaha and Utah Beaches, our nation was upholding the horrors of segregation and Jim Crow. They did so because they believed in the promise of America. We are all eternally indebted to that faith and their sacrifices, and I want to thank the Foundation and the Audrain County Commissioners for working to ensure that all our veterans receive the praise, glory, and honor they have earned.
A 5,000-pound anchor, located in Audrain County, serves as the memorial for the heroes of Exercise Tiger. However, it is more than just a relic of the past. Rather, it is a constant reminder that our freedom was paid for by the sacrifices of those who came before us. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a blue ribbon was wrapped around that anchor, and it was only to be cut down when a vaccine was developed. On April 28, 2021, as our scientists, healthcare workers, and soldiers engage in a noble crusade against COVID-19 at vaccination sites across the country, that ribbon will be removed. While its removal does not signal the end of the pandemic, it does celebrate the fact that we are accomplishing what seemed impossible just months ago. We have demonstrated, like the Greatest Generation before us, that America can overcome any threat when we are united, be it a fleet of enemy submarines or an elusive virus. That capacity will always be worth celebrating.
Madam Speaker, please join me and my colleagues in honoring the nearly 750 Americans, including 201 Missourians, who gave their lives during Exercise Tiger. Additionally, please join me in extending a heartfelt ``thank you'' to the Audrain County Commissioners, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, and the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, for organizing these memorial events each year since 1989. On April 28th, it is my fervent hope that we all take a moment to remember the victims and veterans of Exercise Tiger and to re-affirm our commitment to honoring their legacy each day through selfless service to others in our community.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 73
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