Operationally attached to the 1150th Engineer Combat Group, it served under XXI Corps of the Seventh Army in action in France and Germany in 1944 and 1945.

[2] By war's end its units were scattered throughout a fast-moving front that saw spearheads of U.S. troops spread throughout southern Germany and into borderlands of Austria and Italy.

The 1st platoon went south from Augsburg to Landsberg, where it bridged the Lech River [citation needed] before ending up on the Chiemsee in southeast Germany just miles from Salzburg, Austria.

[4] The 3rd Platoon bridged the Saalach River at Bad Reichenhall to clear the way for the U.S. 101st Airborne and the French First Army in their bids to be first to reach Nazi Germany's Bavarian retreat of Berchtesgarden and capture Adolf Hitler's Berhof and Eagle's Nest.

[2] By war's end the 549th's 2nd platoon had reached Kufstein, Austria, where it had bridged the Inn River in support of the 12th Armored Division in its race to be first to the Brenner Pass.

While attached to the 48th Engineer Combat Battalion it constructed three Bailey bridges totaling 400 feet to open the road-net ahead of the competing divisions.

According to the unit's history, "The last bridge, which totaled 200 feet in length, was completed on May 8 and the boys really proceeded to celebrate V-E Day 'royally' in Hitler's 'Nest'".

[2] A lot of hard work awaited the company when it reached Oringen on 13 May getting its vehicles and equipment ready to move closer to France and eventually the United States of America.

Twelve members of the 549th received awards for meritorious service in connection with the successful crossing of three rivers in Germany and the Alps:[1] NORMANDY BASE SECTION, France – At its first and last formation, 12 members of the 549th Engineer Light Pontoon Company were awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in connection with the successful crossing of three rivers in Germany and the Alps.

Finally attached [b] to the 12th Armored Division[8][c] of General Patton's [sic] Seventh Army [d] they worked through to Bad Reichenthal,[e] Germany, where on V-E day they finished a 190-foot bridge, that proved a gateway for French and American troops.

The three officers and nine enlisted men who received the Bronze Star from Col. E. J. Dowling of the 1150th Engineer Combat Group were: 1st Sgt.