"On April 28, 1944, United States and British forces were attacked by German Navy "E" boats as they conducted "Exercise Tiger" on Devon coast of Great Britain. Deemed a practice run for D-Day invasion, the goal of this military exercise was to prepare the allied forces for the actual landing on the beaches of Normandy. Included in these ranks was the 3206th Quartermaster Company from Missouri. Under surprise attack the out-manned allied forces fended off the superior enemy warships. The courage and determination of the U.S. Army and Navy soldiers enabled the "Exercise Tiger" operation to resume later that same day, and the D-day invasion at Normandy occurred on schedule." ~From the offices of US Senators Kit Bond and John Ashcroft (April, 1999).
This highway naming was indeed a result of county resolutions in Audrain and Callaway Counties. Along about this same time, the "Missouri Exercise Tiger Army and Navy Memorial" was nearing completion at the Audrain County Courthouse. The original designation was "Exercise Tiger Freeway", later the WW II designation was added because many motorist were unaware of the association with WW II and instead thought it was associated with the University of Missouri "Tigers". Thus it carries the "WW II Exercise Tiger Expressway" designation today.
