New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The City of New Bedford Veterans’ Advisory Board and the Fort Rodman – Fort Taber Historical Association will honor the 749 United States sailors and soldiers who lost their lives during the devastating April 28, 1944 attack on the United States military training operation, Exercise Tiger.
Exercise Tiger was a D-Day dry run which was ambushed by a German E-boat flotilla and resulted in America’s costliest incident of World War II, second only to Pearl Harbor. The surprise attack sank two American vessels and severely damaged a third. This year marks the 71st Anniversary of Exercise Tiger.
A memorial ceremony is planned to honor the service members who perished in this incident will be held on Sunday April 26th, 2015 at Fort Rodman/Fort Taber Military Park at 1:00 PM. The ceremony will include remarks by Mayor Jon Mitchell and guest speaker, Command Sergeant Major Gary Comeau from the MA Army National Guard. Also joining the ceremony as an honored guest will be Vincent Ricciardi, 92, of Denis Port, one of the last surviving local participants in Exercise Tiger.
In addition, the Northeast Navy Band and WWII era re-enactors will participate in the ceremony. All veterans are invited to attend and are asked to proudly display their service insignia.
Organizers will also remember the late Jamye Rego and Norman Chartier, WWII veterans who were instrumental in establishing New Bedford’s Exercise Tiger Memorial.
For more information about the ceremony, please contact Bob Bromley, Chair of the Veterans’ Advisory Board at rbromley@rilin.state.ri.us or Peter Clark at petewclark@hotmail.com.
