The Navy Anchor memorial and the wall that accompanies it outside the Audrain County Courthouse represent the 749 service members, including U.S. Army Engineers, Navy Soldiers and Missouri’s 3206th …
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The Navy Anchor memorial and the wall that accompanies it outside the Audrain County Courthouse represent the 749 service members, including U.S. Army Engineers, Navy Soldiers and Missouri’s 3206th Quartermaster Company, who lost their lives during the Battle of Exercise Tiger.
On April 28, the Exercise Tiger Foundation, along with representatives of the City of Mexico, Audrain County, Missouri Military Academy, American Legion Post 510 of Laddonia, active-duty service members and community members, gathered at the Audrain County Courthouse to remember the sacrifice of the soldiers during the 82nd annual wreath-laying ceremony.
The ceremony began in the Audrain County Courthouse rotunda with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by an introduction of honored guests by Walt Donanski, Exercise Tiger Foundation deputy director, and an invocation led by Lou Leonatti, an ordained deacon.
Mayor Steve Haag welcomed attendees to Mexico following the invocation.
“Here in Mexico, Missouri, we have the honor to display this one-of-a-kind memorial, a 5,000-pound anchor, reminding us of the ultimate sacrifice of these brave 749 soldiers during Exercise Tiger and the determination of the 16 million-plus men and women who served our country during World War II,” he said.
Audrain County Commissioners Leslie Meyer and Alan Winders also gave remarks about the importance of Exercise Tiger at the ceremony.
Meyer said Exercise Tiger exposed vulnerabilities, strengthened Allied resolve and ensured the success of the Normandy landings — a turning point that led to the liberation of Europe.
“We appreciate the sacrifice that all of our veterans make and have made,” Winders said. “We know today, just like there was 80 years ago, there are people in harm's way today, and they need our prayers and they need our thoughts — they’re there defending our freedoms.”
The afternoon’s guest speaker was Kevin DeBaene, who traveled to Mexico from his home in Chicago. DeBaene is from Kansas City and has ties to Mexico and the Battle of Exercise Tiger through his uncle, Cpl. Morris J. DeBaene, one of the 749 service members killed in action during Exercise Tiger.
With him, DeBaene brought photos of his uncle and the original Western Union telegrams — the first indicated that Morris had been reported missing in action and the second notified the family he had been killed in action.
The ceremony had been moved inside due to weather, but as the presentations were wrapping up, the clouds broke, and the wreath laying ceremony concluded as intended, at the anchor.
