Veterans, legislators, honor 80th anniversary of WWII naval battle

By Quinn S Coffman

Missouri News Network

Sabers were held high Monday in the Capitol’s historic Thomas Hart Benton room, as both active-duty servicemen and veterans gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the battle of Exercise Tiger.

This naval battle took place in the English Channel on April 28, 1944. That day, several American Tank Landing Ships (LST’s) and an British corvette escorting them were traveling through the English Channel to take place in a training event in preparation for the future storming of Omaha beach.

In the dark hours of that morning, however, these Allied ships were attacked without warning by nine German torpedo boats. In the ensuing battle, two ships were lost, including LST 531, which had been transporting the 3206th Quartermaster Company from Missouri.

Out of the 424 servicemen from LST 531 who drowned, 201 of them were from Missouri. The ship sank in six minutes.

Due to the covert nature of their training operation, the Battle of Exercise Tiger stayed classified until two months after the landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944. To this day, the battle is largely unrecorded in the history of WWII’s naval engagements.

Headquartered in Columbia, the United States Exercise Tiger Foundation works to bring light to those sacrifices made 80 years ago. The organization hosted Monday’s ceremony at the Capitol.

“Today is a historic day. No state capitol of the United States has ever done a state tribute inside such a room,” said Walt Domanski, the foundation’s chief of staff, as he motioned to Benton’s murals of Missouri history.

One of the ceremony’s most exciting moments was when cadets from the Missouri Military Academy presented a Word War II U.S. Navy battle flag. This 10-by-20-foot flag, which sports 48 stars for the number of states during WWII, was used to identify allied ships in combat.

“This flag has been in storage for the past 26 years in Columbia at the USTF annex,” Domanski said as cadets unfurled the aged banner. “They will fly it for the first time in 80 years at the Armory on Friday, April 26.”

While the flag’s specific origins are unknown, research done by the foundation points to it possibly having been the ensign of the cruiser St. Louis. The St. Louis was a ship in dock at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack that initiated American involvement in the war.

“(The flag) did fly on a World War II ship and not since,” Domanski said, “Friday, that will change.”

Domanski introduced Speaker of the House Dean Plocher, R-St. Louis, and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, R-St. Louis. The two men were both honored by the foundation for being the first in their positions to take part in an Exercise Tiger Day ceremony.

“It’s an amazing feat of perseverance, what we did to get ready for the Normandy invasion in June,” said Kehoe, “and as you know, over 200 Missourians as well as 750-some-odd servicemen were killed when the Germans came across the exercise going on.”

Kehoe presented a declaration on behalf of the General Assembly and the people of Missouri honoring the 80th anniversary of Exercise Tiger, “to thank the people who have served our country and who are serving our country.”

Plocher spoke about the make-up of the 3206th Quartermaster Company.

“The courage and valor displayed by these individuals, from the bustling cities of St. Louis and Kansas City to the rural areas of Vandalia and Mexico, Missouri, will forever be etched in our collective memories,” Plocher said.

Both Kehoe and Plocher were honored with awards from the foundation, with Kehoe being given the “Keeper of the Saber” award, alongside a replica of an 1800’s cavalry engineer’s sword.

In attendance were dozens of active-duty members of the Air Force, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Missouri’s National Guard. Veterans from wars between World War II and the War in Afghanistan were also in attendance, with many of them being honored by the foundation.

Missouri legislators joined them, including many who are veterans themselves, including Rep. Doug Mann, D-Columbia, and Rep. Lane Roberts, R-Joplin. All representatives from Boone County attended as did Boone County District I Commissioner and veteran, Justin Aldred. He presented a resolution on behalf of the county honoring the anniversary.

The foundation will also honor the sacrifices of Exercise Tiger on Sunday at the Audrain County Courthouse in Mexico. There, an anchor from a Navy LST stands as part of a memorial to those lost. It was gifted to the foundation alongside the battle flag.

When the House went into session later Monday, it observed a moment of silence for the 201 Missouri servicemen killed in the Battle of Exercise Tiger.

The battle-flag flying event will take place after 12 p.m. Friday, with specifics of the event depending on the forecast. Email ustf.org@gmail.com for details.

Sunday’s event will take place at 1 p.m. at the Exercise Tiger Anchor Memorial near the Audrain County Courthouse in Mexico, Mo.

The United States Exercise Tiger Foundation is campaigning to have a new LST-type ship named after the battle, possibly as the “USS Tiger.” They are asking those interested in volunteering to contact them at ustf.org@gmail.com.