Photo By Corinna Baltos | A Romanian TAB-79s Armored Personnel Carrier rolls across an improved ribbon bridge...... read more read more
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CINCU, Romania – A hastily built bridge spanned the Olt River near the town of Voila, Romania. The river was quiet and a thick fog hugged the riverbanks. The morning of Aug. 4, a cloud of smoke moved in to join the fog and the river erupted with the sounds of heavy machinegun fire and the tracks of tanks and troop carriers. Guns returned fire from the opposite bank and flares soared into the sky. Helicopters flew by while boats loaded with assault teams of U.S. Soldiers zipped down the river. The assault teams secured the beaches and U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams Tanks and Bradley Tactical Fighting Vehicles barreled across the floating bridge along with their Romanian TAB-79s Armored Personnel Carriers partners.
While this may appear, to the casual observer, that there was an invasion taking place, it was, in fact, part of a demonstration put on by U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, during the Saber Guardian 16 distinguished visitor day.
The visitors, consisting of high-ranking American and Romanian military and civilian dignitaries, were treated to a tactical river crossing.
Engineers with the 125th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC), South Carolina Army National Guard and a RECCE (Recon) platoon from the Romanian Land Forces’ 191st Infantry Battalion, 18th Infantry Brigade, also supported and participated in the assault demonstration.
“Executing a wet gap crossing is one of the unit’s required tasks,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jabari Williams, 1-64th Armor Regiment. A wet gap crossing consists of a using an improved ribbon bridge to move weapons, vehicles and personnel across a body of water while taking “fire” from the enemy.
The scene was set for the onlooking distinguished visitors. The enemy had broken through and threatened the pre-existing crossing site, and the 1-64th and the 191st needed to get across the Olt River.
However, before they could get across the river, the 1-64th had to establish security along the riverbanks and bridge using the assault teams aboard MK2 Bridge Erection Boats piloted by the 125th Engineers.
The boats were also used to stabilize the bridge in order to allow mechanized vehicles, like the 62-metric ton Abrams Tanks, to cross.
Even though the wet gap crossing was part of a DV day demonstration the Soldiers found the experience to be valuable training.
“We don’t really get a chance to do this in Georgia,” said 1st Sgt. Dennis Kirk, Bravo Company, 1-64th Infantry Regiment. “It was great that we got to do this with our Romanian friends.”
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2016 08:38 |
| Story ID: | 206022 |
| Location: | CINCU, RO |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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