US Army gains new wet, dry gap crossing capability in Europe

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - The 21st Theater Sustainment Command activated the 809th Multi-Role Bridge Company during a reactivation ceremony at Tower Barracks located in Eastern Germany near the border of Czechia on July 30th.

As part of the continued commitment to the NATO Alliance and efforts for deterrence aimed at near-peer competition, the 809th adds a tactical, over-water gap crossing capability that will provide combatant commanders additional troop and vehicle mobility options. The recently activated 809th is the only permanently assigned Multi-Role Bridge Company within U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

According to Capt. Michael MacGovern, the 809th MRBC company commander, the company is another arrow in the quiver of sustainment, transportation and logistical support options that falls within the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's mission throughout Europe.

"Multi-role bridge companies provide a very unique engineering capability that bridges wet and dry gap crossings. We provide year-round bridging capabilities to enhance over-water movement and maneuver across theater," said MacGovern. "There are hundreds of rivers in Europe and we are the only permanent U.S. Army asset in theater that can provide a quick-and-place bridge that will enable maneuver forces to cross," MacGovern explained.

"Standing up the 809th has been a work-in-progress for some time now," said Lt. Col. Michael Wiehagen, the 15th Engineer Battalion commander. "Capt. MacGovern and 1st Sgt. Grenier have brought this company from zero Soldiers to well over 120 Soldiers today and they will be near their end strength by the end of this year," Wiehagen said.

According to Wiehagen, due to the 809th's activation, the timeline for the U.S. Army to conduct crossing operations has been significantly reduced. "We moved from a timeline of 30 plus days to conduct a wet-gap crossing by bringing in an MRBC from the Continental U.S. to mere days by having this capability in theater. Assured mobility furthermore enables the lethality and readiness of every brigade combat team and cavalry regiment in the theater," Wiehagen added.

The company traces its lineage back to World War II where it was originally formed on March 29th, 1944, as the 525th Engineer Light Pontoon Company in Camp Maxey, Texas. It went on to serve in Central Europe and was redesignated as the 525th Engineer Panel Bridge Transport Company. Following World War II it was deactivated. During the Cold War, the unit was reactivated as the 809th Engineer Company and stationed at Karlsruhe, Germany, and stayed active for more than 20 years in Germany until 1976.

According to MacGovern, the company plans to aggressively pursue exercise involvement to practice capabilities and to quickly strengthen unit-to-unit interoperability with sister U.S. military units and NATO Allied partners within the year.

Learn more about 21st Theater Sustainment Command

Follow 21st TSC on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn

Learn more about U.S. Army Europe and Africa

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.