Local veterans gathered at Fort Rodman - Fort Taber Military Park Sunday to honor the fallen servicemen killed during Exercise Tiger.

The D-Day dry run off the coast of Devon, England resulted in the deaths of 749 soldiers after a surprise attack by German submarines.

Keynote speaker Command Sergeant Major Gary Comeau, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment Massachusetts Army National Guard leads just over 749 soldiers.

Greg Desrosiers/TSM - Sgt. Maj. Gary Comeau delivering keynote speech during Exercise Tiger Ceremony
Greg Desrosiers/TSM - Sgt. Maj. Gary Comeau delivering keynote speech during Exercise Tiger Ceremony
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During the ceremony, he reflected on the thought of commanding his battalion through such an ordeal.

"I shudder to think how grave a scenario it would be if I had to report losing that many personnel. And then to think that all those years later, the military would expect its members to remain silent about it"

The military kept the attack under wraps as to not let the enemy know the destruction they caused. Once the tragedy was revealed, it didn't get the attention it deserved.

This year's ceremony paid homage to the late Jamye Rego and Norman Chartier, WWII veterans who were instrumental in establishing

New Bedford has held a remembrance ceremony for the victims since 2007 by the side of the only tank that was involved in the exercise in the U.S. An identical tank memorial is located in Slapston Sands in Devon, England.

Both tanks have their barrels raised in the direction of each other across the Atlantic.

Greg Desrosiers/TSM - Exercise Tiger Memorial
Greg Desrosiers/TSM - Exercise Tiger Memorial
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