Maj. Gen. Nikolai Ivanovich Kiryukhin Major Ivan Yakovlevich Kravchenko Maj. Gen. Nikolai Timofeevich Shcherbakov Maj. Gen. Mikhail Yemilyaonovich Yerokhin Col. Ernest Zhanovich Sedulin Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Bondovsky Col. Ivan Kornilovich Kazak
Military unit
The 324th Rifle Division was a standard Soviet infantry division of the Red Army during World War II. It was formed as part of the massive mobilization of August 1941, and first saw action in early December in the counteroffensive west of Moscow. During 1942 and into 1943 it saw limited action on a relatively quiet sector of the front north of Bryansk, before joining a limited offensive in February. During the general offensives of that summer, the division fought in the drive past Smolensk, and made a forced crossing of the upper Dniepr River. The 324th played a limited role in Operation Bagration, but distinguished itself in the fighting in East Prussia in 1945, sufficiently to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner. During the course of the war the men and women of the division served under no fewer than nine commanding officers.
The Army was deployed in the last week of November west of the Oka River, downstream from Kashira, to defend both Kolomna and Ryazan from the German 2nd Panzer Army.[5] On November 29 the division was noted as lacking its full complement of heavy machine guns, Shpagin (12.7mm calibre) machine guns, anti-aircraft weapons, mortars, howitzers, communications and engineering equipment. Orders were received on December 5 for the counteroffensive to begin the next day.[6]
The 324th began from a line from Slobodka to Pecherniki, and was directed towards Stalinogorsk, facing rearguards of the German 29th and 10th Motorized Divisions and 18th Panzer Division, plus other small infantry units. The division was roughly in the center of the Army's front, which was advancing more slowly than planned. On the morning of December 11 Army commander Lt. Gen. Filipp Golikov issued orders that the leading divisions, including the 324th, reach the line Uzlovaya station - Bogoroditsk - Kuzovka over the next 24 hours. On December 13 the division fought its way into Lyutorichi on the Don River and continued to the west. By the end of December 17 units of the division had crossed the Upa River along the Naumovka - Myasnovka sector. At this point the second stage of the Tula operation by 10th Army was completed. The next stage of the advance began on December 20, towards Belyov and Kozelsk. The 324th was in the Army's second echelon, concentrated in the area Lyapishchevo - Polozovo - Rzhavo. From December 21 - 24 the Army overcame the resistance of small enemy rearguards. By the end of this period the 324th had reached the area of Krasnokole - Sonino - Kostino. there were almost no enemy units in front of the division because 1st Guards Cavalry Corps was operating ahead of it. By late of December 26 it had reached Kudrino - Snykhovo; in 20 days it had advanced a distance of about 200km.[7]
During the latter half of December 28 the 324th and the 239th Rifle Division made a fighting advance to the line Kudrino - Davydovo, and by the next day had reached the Kozelsk area, where they linked up with 1st Guards Cavalry. From January 1 - 5, 1942, the two rifle divisions fought to liberate Sukhinichi, but were unsuccessful.[8] Following this 10th Army command decided to blockade the city with the 324th, two companies of the 239th, and a battalion of the 323rd Rifle Division. During the day on January 8 units of the division went over to the attack on one sector in the Sukhinichi area, and took several buildings in the southern and southwestern outskirts, but were then stopped by heavy enemy fire from fortified stone houses. German Army Group Center began to receive reinforcements from occupied France which allowed them to launch a counterattack to relieve its besieged troops on January 18. Part of the Sukhinichi garrison was extracted by the German relief force and the town was finally liberated on January 29. Fighting by both sides persisted into February with mixed success.[9]
Into Western Russia and Belarus
At the end of January 1942, 324th was reassigned to 16th Army, still in Western Front. After the winter fighting ended, this sector, north of Bryansk, remained relatively inactive for the balance of the year. On March 9, General Kiryukin handed over his command to Major Ivan Yakovlevich Kravchenko; Kiryukhin would go on to command the 24th Rifle Corps and become a Hero of the Soviet Union.[10] Major Kravchenko had been named a Hero of the Soviet Union in 1940 for his actions during the Winter War with Finland. While leading the division he was mortally wounded near the village of Klintsy and died on April 8.[11] Maj. Gen. Nikolai Timofeevich Shcherbakov held command from April 9 to July 10, when Maj. Gen. A. A. Boreiko[12] took over for about six weeks before in turn handing over to Maj. Gen. Mikhail Yemilyanovich Yerokhin on August 29.
Following the Soviet victory at Stalingrad in early 1943, the STAVKA made every effort to make the local success more general, and 16th Army was ordered to attack the German defenses north of Zhizdra on February 22, 1943, in conjunction with other attacks by 61st and 3rd Armies, attempting to capture the salient around Oryol held by 2nd Panzer Army. The 324th, on the far left, was one of six rifle divisions of its Army that made up a shock group backed by three tank brigades, with 9th Tank Corps in reserve. In the event, rain, mud-clogged roads and skillful German resistance brought the advance to a halt after gains of 7km at most, and the tank corps was never committed.[13]
In April, 16th Army became the 11th Guards Army, and the 324th was moved to 50th Army on April 19, where it would remain for the duration; this army was also in Western Front. On April 27, General Yerokhin handed his command over to Col. Ernest Zhanovich Sedulin; Yerokhin would go on to command 81st Rifle Corps before returning to the division. In August, 50th Army was transferred to Bryansk Front, and when that Front was dissolved in October, joined Central Front, which was soon renamed Belorussian Front.[14][15] On November 25, Colonel Sedulin was replaced in command by Lt. Col. A. M. Osadchii and on the same day 50th Army launched an offensive from its positions along the Pronya River just north of Propoysk which penetrated the German front as much as 30km over the next 15 days, finally approaching the Dniepr River near Novyi Bykhov. The 324th was in the first echelon when the Army went over to the defense.[16] Colonel Osadchii had handed the division over to Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Bondovsky in the midst of this operation on December 2.
On January 4, 1944, 3rd Army, to the south of the 50th, launched a new offensive in the direction of Bykhov; for this effort the 324th was attached to that Army's 80th Rifle Corps. A daring night raid by ski troops had disrupted the headquarters of the defending German 267th Infantry Division, and 80th Corps quickly penetrated to a depth of 5km before reaching the German Winter Defense Line along the Ukhliast River. The next day the division reverted to 50th Army control, but despite the help of the 110th and 413th Rifle Divisions was unable to crack this new line.[17]
Belorussian Front became 1st Belorussian Front in February, and the 324th was assigned to 121st Rifle Corps. In the last week of that month the division took part in the Rogachev - Zhlobin Offensive:
"On the morning of February 22 [50th Army's] left wing went over to an offensive along the Mshatoe Swamp and Adamenka line... forced the Dniepr River, penetrated the enemy's prepared defensive belt on the right [western] bank of the river, and by February 29 reached a front... [that threatened] the flank and rear of the enemy's entire Mogilev - Bykhov grouping."[18]
Beginning on March 25 the division and its Corps took part in an offensive, along with forces of 10th Army, to reduce or eliminate the bridgehead east of the Dniepr still held by German 4th Army, but this effort made only limited gains and was halted on March 31. On the night of April 5 the 324th took over the positions held by the 82nd Rifle Division on the southern outskirts of Krasnitsa.[19] 50th Army remained in this Front until April, when it was transferred to 2nd Belorussian Front. On April 22 Col. Ivan Kornilovich Kazak was appointed to command, which he would hold until October. As of May 1 the division was reassigned to 19th Rifle Corps, where it served in the opening stages of Operation Bagration.[20] The 50th was holding a wide sector, but also had orders to assist the much stronger 49th Army in its assaults on the German-held city of Mogilev. On the morning of June 24, 19th Rifle Corps penetrated the German 267th Infantry Division's line at Ludchitsa, but this attack was contained by 1100 hrs. On June 28 the 324th helped to force a crossing of the Dniepr near the city of Shklov and soon received the battle honor "Upper Dniepr" for this accomplishment:
"SHKLOV... By order of the Supreme High Command, units that distinguished themselves during the crossing of the Dniepr and the capture of the cities of Mogilev, Shklov and Bykhov are given the names of Upper Dniepr and Mogilev... 324th Rifle Division (Colonel Kazak, Ivan Kornilovich)... By order of the Supreme High Command of June 28, 1944, and a commendation in Moscow, the troops who took part in the battles for the crossing of the Dniepr and for the liberation of Shklov and other cities are given a salute of 20 artillery volleys from 224 guns.[21]
After the liberation of Mogilev, on July 1, 19th Rifle Corps crossed the Berezina River north of Brodets; following this, 50th Army cut off the escape of the broken German 4th Army between Berezino and Chervin, and then headed for Minsk.[22]
On July 9 the division became a separate division under Army command. It was tasked, along with 38th Rifle Corps and five other separate rifle divisions, plus three NKVD border regiments, to methodically comb through the forested areas east of Minsk with light air support. This was a search and destroy mission against enemy groups that had not yet surrendered. During this operation, which ended on July 13, the 324th eliminated a group of about 2,000 men in the Bolshoi Trostenets - Yelnitsa - Apchak area led by General Engel, the commander of the 45th Infantry Division.[23] Following this, in August was reassigned to 81st Rifle Corps.[24]
East Prussian Campaign
Colonel Kazak was replaced when General Yerokhin returned to the division on October 9, but this was temporary as Kazak returned on December 23 and would continue in command for the duration of the war. At the outset of the Vistula-Oder Offensive in January 1945, 324th was part of 69th Rifle Corps, where it would remain for the duration. 50th Army was deployed on the right flank of its Front, and had a defensive role at the outset. It was not ordered to advance until January 17. By February 8, elements of the Army had captured Heilsberg. The next day 50th Army, now with just six rifle divisions, including the 324th, was ordered to be transferred to 3rd Belorussian Front, where it would remain for the duration.[25] 50th Army was reassigned to 3rd Belorussian Front in February, and would remain in that Front for the duration.[26]
On March 8, the 69th Corps was ordered to advance by way of Preussisch Eylau to concentrate in the area of Trutenau - Praddau. At the beginning of April the Corps was defending with just two divisions along a broad front through the northeastern outskirts of Königsberg, but the actual assault was to be carried out by the 81st and 124th Rifle Corps, which were more concentrated.[27] On April 5, the day before the final battle for the city began, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the capture of Biała Piska and other nearby towns, and its general record of service.[28]
Postwar
When the fighting ended, the soldiers of the division shared the full title of 324th Rifle, Upper Dniepr, Order of the Red Banner Division (Russian: 324-я стрелковая Верхнеднепровская Краснознамённая дивизия), and three of its former commanders were, or had become, Heroes of the Soviet Union.
The division was withdrawn along with the 69th Rifle Corps to Luhansk Oblast in the Kharkov Military District. The 324th Rifle Division was disbanded on or around May 6, 1946, along with the corps. [29]
Sources and references
Citations
↑ Walter S. Dunn, Jr., Stalin's Keys to Victory, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2006, p. 78
↑ Charles C. Sharp, "Red Tide", Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From June to December 1941, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, vol. IX, Nafziger, 1996, p. 76
↑ David M. Glantz, Colossus Reborn, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2005, p. 594
Feskov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Slugin, S.A. (2013). Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской[The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet: Part 1 Land Forces] (in Russian). Tomsk: Scientific and Technical Literature Publishing. ISBN9785895035306.
Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union (1964). Командование корпусного и дивизионного звена советских вооруженных сил периода Великой Отечественной войны 1941 – 1945 гг[Commanders of Corps and Divisions in the Great Patriotic War, 1941–1945] (in Russian). Moscow: Frunze Military Academy. p. 263
The 354th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as a standard Red Army rifle division, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It took part in the defense of Moscow and the winter counteroffensive of 1941–42, and then in the costly battles around the German salient near Rzhev. It also served in the defensive battle of Kursk and the summer offensive that followed in 1943. The division distinguished itself in at least three battles. It was credited with the liberation of the town of Kalinkovichi on January 14, 1944, and shared credit with other formations for the liberation of Bobruisk during Operation Bagration. It also played the leading role in the defense of 65th Army's bridgehead over the Narev River in October, 1944. During the final offensives into Germany in 1945 it advanced through Poland and Pomerania and ended the war near Stettin. The 354th compiled a highly distinguished record of service, but nevertheless was disbanded in June, 1946.
The 307th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as a standard Red Army rifle division, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. The division distinguished itself in the intense defensive fighting around the village of Ponyri during the Battle of Kursk. It was credited with the liberation of the town of Novozybkov on September 25, 1943. After battling its way through eastern Belarus during the autumn and winter of 1943–44, and then helping complete its liberation during Operation Bagration, it was moved to East Prussia, where it took part in the Battle of Königsberg in the spring of 1945, ending the war on the Baltic coast near the Zemland Peninsula. In the course of these campaigns the 307th compiled a battle record to rival a Guards unit but was nevertheless disbanded on the second-last day of 1945.
The 50th Army was a Soviet field army during World War II. It was formed in mid-August, 1941 and deployed on the southwest approaches to Moscow. Partly encircled and destroyed by German Second Panzer Army in the opening stages of Operation Typhoon, enough of the army escaped that it could be reinforced to successfully defend the city of Tula in November. It was at this time that the 50th came under the command of Lt. Gen. Ivan Boldin, who continued in command until February, 1945. During most of its career the army was relatively small and accordingly served in secondary roles. It finished the war in East Prussia, under the command of Lt. Gen. Fyodor Ozerov, as part of 3rd Belorussian Front.
The 413th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in the summer of 1941 in the Far Eastern Front. It was considered to be a "sister" division to the 415th, and was one of the divisions of Siberians sent west to help defend Moscow during the winter of 1941–42. It was assigned to the 50th Army and originally saw action in the defense of the city of Tula before going over to the counteroffensive in December, suffering massive casualties in the process. It spent much of the next year along the lines it gained over the winter, southwest of the capital, before beginning to push westward as part of Western Front's 1943 summer offensive. During the winter of 1943-44 it was in Belorussian Front gradually gaining ground towards the Dniepr River to the east of Rogachev. At the start of Operation Bagration the 413th was in the 3rd Army but was soon reassigned to the 65th Army where it remained for most of the rest of the war. The division was awarded a battle honor for its role in the liberation of Brest in July and in 1945 received both the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Suvorov as it advanced into Poland and Germany with 2nd Belorussian Front. The 413th had a distinguished career as a combat unit, ending its combat path north of Berlin. It was disbanded in the summer of 1946.
The 331st Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in the summer of 1941, based on a cadre of volunteer workers and reservists from the Bryansk Oblast, and so was known from the beginning as the 331st Bryansk Proletarian Rifle Division. It fought to defend Moscow during the last stages of the German invasion, and then went over to the offensive in early December. It spent much of the next twelve months in the same general area, west of the capital, taking part in the mostly futile battles against the German-held salient at Rzhev. On September 25, 1943, the division shared credit with several other units for the liberation of the city of Smolensk and was given its name as an honorific. The 331st had a highly distinguished career as a combat unit, ending its combat path in Czechoslovakia, advancing on Prague.
The 323rd Rifle Division was formed as a standard Red Army rifle division late in the summer of 1941, as part of the massive buildup of new Soviet fighting formations at that time. After a successful but costly start in the Soviet winter counteroffensive in the Tula region the division served on relatively quiet sectors into 1943, after which it joined the offensive push into German-occupied western Russia through the rest of that year, winning a battle honor for the liberation of Bryansk. In the course of the destruction of Army Group Center in the summer of 1944, the division further distinguished itself in the liberation of Bialystok in July. In 1945 the men and women of the 323rd took part in the Vistula-Oder Offensive through Poland and into Pomerania, and then finally in the Battle of Berlin, ending the war with distinction, but being disbanded soon after.
The 330th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army late in the summer of 1941, as part of the massive buildup of new Soviet fighting formations at that time. It took part in the defense of Tula in 10th Army soon after reaching the front, and remained in that army for a remarkably long time, until April 1944. It fought in the offensive push into German-occupied western Russia through 1943, then in the destruction of Army Group Center in the summer of 1944, distinguishing itself in the liberation of Mogilyov in June. In 1945 the men and women of the 330th took part in the Vistula-Oder Offensive through Poland and into Pomerania, and then finally in the fighting north of Berlin, ending the war with high distinction, but being disbanded soon after.
The 55th Rifle Division that served as a Red Army rifle division during the Great Patriotic War formed for the first time in September 1925 as a territorial division headquartered at Kursk. When the German invasion began the unit was as Slutsk, but soon came under attack from their armored spearheads and lost most of its strength within days, and was eventually encircled and destroyed at Kiev. A new division was formed along the Volga in December, and was soon sent north to join in the fighting around Demyansk until early 1943. In many respects the 55th was a hard-luck unit; after being destroyed once, it drew assignments to mostly secondary fronts in areas where, due to the terrain and other circumstances, no unit could distinguish itself. By early 1944, the division was reduced to minimal strength for an active formation, and after making some key gains in the pursuit phase of Operation Bagration it was transferred north to the Baltic States and then disbanded to provide replacements for the other units in 61st Army. Elements of the disbanded division were repurposed to other roles in coastal defense and as a naval base garrison, continuing in service until 1956.
The 348th Rifle Division was first formed in August 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, at Kuibyshev. It was assigned to 60th Reserve Army shortly after forming and took part in the winter counteroffensive in front of Moscow. Until the end of 1942 it was involved in the dismal and costly battles around the Rzhev Salient, until it was shifted to take part in the equally difficult fighting around the Demyansk Salient. Both of these German positions were evacuated in March 1943, and, after rebuilding, the division returned to the front to take part in the summer offensive along the Smolensk axis. During Operation Bagration the 348th distinguished itself in the liberation of Bobruisk, and received the name of that city as an honorific. Not long after it was also decorated for its role in the liberation of Bialystok. In 1945 it helped to liberate northern Poland during the Vistula-Oder Offensive, before being reassigned to 3rd Belorussian Front in East Prussia. In the last weeks of the war it formed part of the reserves of 1st Belorussian Front during the Berlin Operation.
The 352nd Rifle Division started forming in August 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, at Bugulma in Tatarstan. When it entered the fighting it was assigned to the Western Front before Moscow, and it would remain in that Front for most of the war; when Western Front was dissolved the division went to one of its successor Fronts and served there until the last few weeks. It took part in the first Soviet winter counteroffensive, then played peripheral roles in the battles around the Rhzev salient, before advancing in the offensive that liberated Smolensk in the summer of 1943. After a series of frustrating attempts during the autumn and winter of 1943-44, the city of Orsha was finally liberated in the opening days of Operation Bagration, and the 352nd was recognized for its role in the battle. Soon after it was further decorated for its part in the liberation of Grodno. In the winter of 1945 the 352nd took part in the invasion of East Prussia and the capture of Königsberg, but in April it finally was swung off its very straightforward combat path when it and its 31st Army were transferred to 1st Ukrainian Front advancing into Czechoslovakia. Soon after the German surrender the division was slated as one of those to be disbanded in place in central Europe.
The 362nd Rifle Division began forming on 10 August 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, at Omsk. It did not reach the front until March 1942, assigned to the 22nd Army in Kalinin Front. It served under these commands for the next year, then was pulled out of the line for rebuilding before being moved south to 3rd Army of Bryansk Front, and later Belorussian Front, for the 1943 summer offensive, during which it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. It served in 50th Army during Operation Bagration, and earned a battle honor during the crossings of the upper Dniepr River near Shklov, but was soon reassigned to 33rd Army, where it remained for the duration of the war. The 362nd ended the war deep into Germany with 1st Belorussian Front, but in spite of an exemplary record of service, including three unit decorations, it was disbanded shortly thereafter.
The 369th Rifle Division began forming on 1 August 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, in the Chelyabinsk Oblast. After forming, it was assigned to the 39th Army which soon became part of Kalinin Front, and it participated in the near-encirclement of the German 9th Army around Rzhev in the winter counteroffensive of 1941-42. In late January 1942, it was transferred to the 29th Army of the same Front, which was very soon after encircled by German forces near Sychevka, and while it was written off by German intelligence in February, enough of the division escaped that it was not officially disbanded. By August it returned to battle, now in 30th Army of Western Front, still fighting near Rzhev. After the salient was finally evacuated in the spring of 1943 the division was moved to Bryansk Front, first in 11th Army and then in 50th Army, under which it served for most of the war. In the summer counteroffensive the 369th was awarded the battle honor "Karachev" for its part in the liberation of that city. At the start of Operation Bagration the division was in 2nd Belorussian Front and its commander, Maj. Gen. I. S. Lazarenko, was killed a few days later; despite this loss it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its successful crossing of the Dniepr River and the liberation of Mogilev. The division continued to advance through Belarus and into Poland and eastern Germany over the following months, but despite a fine record of service was disbanded soon after the German surrender.
The 380th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming on 10 August 1941, one of a series of divisions formed in accordance to an order of that date in the Siberian Military District. The pace of moving newly formed units to the fighting front was beginning to ease and the division arrived there in late February 1942. Until the end of that year it was involved in the bloody fighting around the Rzhev salient. After a brief move to Northwestern Front and then a period in reserve for rebuilding, the division's combat path shifted southward when it was assigned to Bryansk Front. It won a battle honor for its part in the liberation of Oryol in the summer offensive, then spent the autumn and winter in the costly and difficult struggles on the approaches to the upper Dniepr River and in eastern Belarus. It then took part in Operation Bagration and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its successes. Following this it helped to eliminate the German forces trapped east of Minsk, for which it received a second unit decoration, before joining the advance into Poland. During the Vistula-Oder Offensive the 380th was part of 2nd Belorussian Front's 49th Army, winning its third decoration along the way before ending the war advancing north of Berlin towards the Baltic coast. Despite its distinguished record it was selected as one of the many divisions to be disbanded during the summer of 1945.
The 385th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming in August 1941, in the Central Asian Military District. It was first assigned to Southwestern Front but on its arrival it was seen to be far from combat-ready and so was moved north to the Moscow area for further training. It served in the later stages of the counteroffensive west of the capital in Western Front and remained in that Front until early 1944. It was on a relatively quiet sector through most of 1942 and early 1943 before joining the summer offensive towards Smolensk. It then spent the autumn and winter in the costly and difficult struggles on the approaches to the upper Dniepr River and in eastern Belarus, during which it won a battle honor. From this point on it shared a very similar combat path with the 380th Rifle Division. The division took part in Operation Bagration and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its successes. Following this it helped to eliminate the German forces trapped east of Minsk, for which it received a second unit decoration, before joining the advance into Poland. During the Vistula-Oder Offensive the 385th was part of 2nd Belorussian Front's 49th Army, and ended the war advancing north of Berlin towards the Baltic coast. Despite its distinguished record it was selected as one of the many divisions to be disbanded during the summer of 1945.
The 12th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in January, 1942, based on the 1st formation of the 258th Rifle Division and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It was in 50th Army when it was redesignated but was soon assigned to the 49th Army, then to the 10th Army and finally to the 16th Army near the end of that month. In June it was assigned to the 9th Guards Rifle Corps of 61st Army where it remained almost continually for the duration of the war, serving under several Front commands but always on the central sector of the front. During the summer offensive in 1943 it fought through western Russia and into Belarus during the winter campaigns there. Along with the rest of 61st Army it took part in the second stage of Operation Bagration in the summer of 1944, advancing into the Pripyat marshes region, winning a battle honor and shortly thereafter the Order of the Red Banner. After a short time in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command it was moved to the 3rd Baltic and later the 1st Baltic Front driving into Latvia and Lithuania, being decorated with the Order of Suvorov for its part in the occupation of Riga. In December it was returned to the 1st Belorussian Front and took part in the offensives that propelled the Red Army into Poland and eastern Germany. After the fall of Berlin the division advanced to the Elbe River where it linked up with the US 84th Infantry Division. Following the German surrender it was disbanded in July, 1946.
The 88th Rifle Division was twice formed as an infantry division of the Red Army, first as part of the prewar buildup of forces. In its first formation in the far north it had an unusual shtat probably to facilitate its movement in the roadless tundra and forests of that region. During the Winter War against Finland it saw action in the fighting around Salla. Its organization again proved beneficial in the spring of 1942 during the first stages of the Great Patriotic War. It played a large role in holding and then pushing back the Finnish III Army Corps during Operation Silver Fox and for this success was redesignated as the 23rd Guards Rifle Division.
The 88th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in April 1943, based on the 1st formation of the 99th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It would become one of the most highly decorated rifle divisions of the Red Army.
The 212th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army after a motorized division of that same number was badly damaged and then redesignated about five weeks after the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
The 222nd Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the shtat of September 13, 1939. It was formed at Starodub and was considered a "sister" to the 217th Rifle Division. It first saw action in July 1941 as part of 28th Army in the fighting between Smolensk and Roslavl and the division took heavy casualties when it was partly encircled and forced to abandon the latter city in early August. It was again encircled during Operation Typhoon but managed to escape complete destruction and soon came under command of 33rd Army, where it remained for almost the entire length of the war.
The 238th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the shtat of September 13, 1939. It was the highest-numbered rifle division to be formed prior to the war. After forming in Kazakhstan it did not begin moving west until later September and arrived in 49th Army southwest of Moscow just after the first phase of Operation Typhoon. During October and November it took part in the defense of Tula before going over to the counteroffensive in early December. The division assisted in the liberation of Aleksin before pushing on toward Kaluga. After the latter place was taken on December 30 it was committed to the attempted encirclement of a large portion of Army Group Center by Western and Kalinin Fronts, and while this ultimately failed the 238th distinguished itself sufficiently to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner and to be redesignated as the 30th Guards Rifle Division in May 1942.
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