[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 70 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNITION OF WORLD WAR II EXERCISE TIGER OPERATION

 Mr. BOND. Mr. President, this past April 28, 1997, the 
Missouri and New Jersey Exercise Tiger Associations, in conjunction 
with Veterans of Foreign War Post 280 of Columbia, MO recognized a 
group of heroic men. Until recently, few people knew of the secret 
operation code named ``Exercise Tiger,'' because the details of the 
tragedy were not disclosed until after the Battle of Normandy and even 
then proper recognition was not given.
  In December 1943, several training operations began in order to 
prepare for the Battle of Normandy. These operations, organized by the 
United States Army, were undertaken off a beach in Devon, England. It 
was known by all participating parties the dangers they could 
encounter. At the time, several German ships patrolled this stretch of 
water looking for American and English ships. One such evening during 
practice operations, with only one English ship to guard, there was a 
surprise attack on the American ships.
  On April 28, 1944, the German Navy ``E'' boats, patrolling the 
English Channel, attacked the Eight American tank landing ships who 
became aware of the attack only after the U.S.S. LST-507 was struck by 
an incoming torpedo. Next, the U.S.S. LST-531 was attacked and sunk in 
a matter of minutes. The convoy returned fire and the last ship to be 
torpedoed, the U.S.S. LST-289, valiantly struggled to reach Dartmouth 
Harbor.
  Even after this frightening turn of events, to its credit, Exercise 
Tiger continued operations and remained on schedule. Normandy was 
attacked as planned and the D-day invasion was a success.
  Information of the fatalities was not released until after the D-day 
invasion due to the secrecy of the mission and in order to keep the 
Germans from becoming aware of the impending strike. It took many 
years, and the passage of the Freedom of Information Act, to learn of 
the significance of these missions. I feel now is the time for these 
courageous men to get the long-awaited recognition they deserve.
  Four thousand men participated in this operation and of those, nearly 
a quarter were killed in action. Records from the Department of Defense 
estimate 749 men died consisting of 551 Army and 198 Navy casualties. 
Of Tiger's death toll, 201 men were from the 3206th quartermaster 
company in my home State of Missouri.
  This Memorial Day weekend commemorates the heroic actions of the men 
who participated in Exercise Tiger and particularly the ones who lost 
their lives in this crucial preparation for the D-day invasion. The 
Exercise Tiger Associations and VFW Post 280 have the great privilege 
of being first in the State of Missouri to recognize these brave 
individuals.
  In the words of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, ``Old soldiers never die, 
they just fade away * * * '' I hope that through this long delayed 
acknowledgment of these fine soldiers, their memory will not fade away, 
but will remain in our minds and hearts for years to come. These men 
were an example for all American soldiers to live by and a credit to 
the United States as it remains the free and great country that it is 
today.

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