3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division

The 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division was a Soviet military formation descended from the 153rd Rifle Division and the wartime 3rd Guards Rifle Division. It existed in several organizational forms from the Second World War until its dissolution after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its later full designation was the 3rd Guards Volnovakha Red Banner Order of Suvorov Motor Rifle Division, and its military unit number was 61415. The division received Guards status in September 1941 after the 153rd Rifle Division's combat service during the opening phase of the German-Soviet War. It fought first on the Western Front and then in the Leningrad and Volkhov areas, including operations around Mga, Sinyavino and Pogostye. In late 1942 it was transferred to the 2nd Guards Army and took part in the fighting around Stalingrad, helping resist the German Kotelnikovo counteroffensive along the Myshkova River. It subsequently advanced through the Donbas and southern Ukraine, participating in the liberation of Novocherkassk, Volnovakha, Bolshoy Tokmak and Kakhovka. During 1944 the division took part in operations in Crimea, including the liberation of Yevpatoriya and Sevastopol. It was later transferred north to the Baltic region, where it fought in the Šiauliai and Memel offensives. In the final year of the war it served with the 3rd Belorussian Front and participated in the East Prussian Offensive, including operations against German forces encircled around Königsberg and in Samland. The unit received the honorific Volnovakha in September 1943, the Order of the Red Banner in April 1944 and the Order of Suvorov in April 1945. These distinctions formed part of its formal postwar title and reflected its wartime record rather than a commercial brand identity. After the war, the formation was reduced to the 13th Separate Guards Rifle Brigade in July 1946. It was re-created as the 3rd Guards Rifle Division in October 1953 and reorganized as the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division at Klaipėda in the Lithuanian SSR on 25 June 1957. It became part of the Baltic Military District. In October 1989 it was redesignated the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division for Coastal Defence and transferred to the Baltic Fleet. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it passed to the North Western Group of Forces before being disbanded on 1 September 1993. The formation is therefore a historical military organization, not a commercial brand.

The formation originated as the 153rd Rifle Division, created before the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In 1941 it fought in the Western Front's opening campaigns and was later committed to the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts. Following its conversion to Guards status on 18 September 1941, it became the 3rd Guards Rifle Division. Its early wartime service included defensive and offensive operations around Mga, Sinyavino and Pogostye. After rebuilding in 1942, the division entered the Stavka reserve and participated in the Sinyavino Offensive. In December it joined the 2nd Guards Army and made a long winter movement toward the Stalingrad area. Between 15 and 31 December 1942 it fought along the Myshkova River against the German Kotelnikovo group. The Soviet counteroffensive then carried the division west and south toward the Donbas and Rostov region. It participated in the liberation of Novocherkassk in February 1943 and later fought in the Donbas strategic offensive, including the capture of Volnovakha on 10 September and Bolshoy Tokmak on 20 September. The Volnovakha honorific was subsequently added to its title. In the autumn of 1943 the division advanced during the Melitopol Offensive toward the lower Dnieper and the Black Sea. It helped liberate Kakhovka and fought in operations against the German bridgehead near Kherson. In 1944 it moved with the 2nd Guards Army to the Perekop area and took part in the Crimean Offensive. Its wartime record included the liberation of Yevpatoriya on 13 April and Sevastopol on 9 May. After a period in reserve, the formation transferred to the 1st Baltic Front for operations around Šiauliai and Memel, later joining the 3rd Belorussian Front for the East Prussian campaign. It participated in the destruction of encircled German forces near Königsberg and in Samland during the final months of the war. The postwar formation underwent several changes. On 31 July 1946 it was reduced to the 13th Separate Guards Rifle Brigade, but it was restored as a rifle division in October 1953. On 25 June 1957 it was reorganized at Klaipėda in the Lithuanian SSR as the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division and became part of the Baltic Military District. In the late 1980s its mission changed toward coastal defense. On 12 October 1989 it was redesignated the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division for Coastal Defence and transferred to the Baltic Fleet. After the Soviet Union dissolved, it became part of the North Western Group of Forces. The division was finally disbanded on 1 September 1993.

• 1993

  Disbandment

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division was disbanded on 1 September after the post-Soviet transition.

• 1989

  Coastal-defense redesignation

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division was assigned a coastal-defense role and transferred from the Baltic Military District to the Baltic Fleet.

• 1957

  Motor rifle reorganization

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  At Klaipėda, the formation was reorganized from a rifle division into the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division.

• 1945

  Order of Suvorov

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division received the Order of Suvorov on 5 April for its wartime service.

• 1944

  Order of the Red Banner

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 24 April.

• 1943

  Volnovakha honorific awarded

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division received the Volnovakha designation for its role in the liberation of the city during the Donbas offensive.

• 1941

  Conversion to Guards status

  [1]3rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The 153rd Rifle Division was redesignated the 3rd Guards Rifle Division on 18 September after its early-war combat service.

A Soviet ground-force formation organized first as an infantry division and later as a motor rifle division, with a wartime Guards identity and a late-Cold-War coastal-defense role.

• 1945East Prussian Offensive

  East Prussia

  Serving with the 3rd Belorussian Front, the division broke through German defenses and fought against encircled forces near Königsberg and in Samland.

  Outcome. The campaign ended with the defeat of German forces in East Prussia.

  Source
• 1944Crimean Offensive

  Crimea

  The division participated in the Soviet offensive across the Perekop approaches and Crimea, including operations at Yevpatoriya and Sevastopol.

  Outcome. Yevpatoriya was liberated on 13 April and Sevastopol on 9 May.

  Source
• 1944Šiauliai and Memel offensives

  Baltic region

  After transferring to the 1st Baltic Front, the division fought German counterattacks west and northwest of Šiauliai and later occupied Pagėgiai.

  Outcome. The division helped drive German forces toward East Prussia and the Baltic coast.

  Source
• 1943Donbas Strategic Offensive

  Southern Front

  The division advanced through southern Ukraine and participated in the liberation of Volnovakha and Bolshoy Tokmak.

  Outcome. Its actions contributed to the Soviet advance across the Donbas and earned the Volnovakha honorific.

  Source
• 1942Sinyavino Offensive

  Volkhov Front

  The division attacked German defenses near Kruglaya grove and sought to capture Sinyavino station.

  Outcome. The operation involved prolonged fighting from late August through October.

  Source
• 1942Stalingrad and Myshkova defensive battles

  Stalingrad Front

  With the 2nd Guards Army, the division defended positions near the Myshkova River against the German Kotelnikovo counteroffensive.

  Outcome. The German counterattack was stopped and Soviet forces went over to the offensive.

  Source
• 1941Mga and Sinyavino operations

  Leningrad Front

  The division fought around Mga and Sinyavino before relocating south of Volkhov and pursuing German forces toward Pogostye.

  Outcome. The formation retained its position in the Leningrad-area fighting and later received Guards status.

  Source

• 1989

  Transfer to coastal defenseStrategy

  Background

  Late-Soviet military restructuring changed the formation's mission in the Baltic region.

  Action taken

  It was redesignated for Coastal Defence and transferred to the Baltic Fleet.

  Aftermath

  The unit later entered the North Western Group of Forces after the Soviet dissolution.

  Source

• 1957

  Conversion to motor rifle divisionGeneration change

  Background

  Soviet postwar force restructuring expanded the role of mechanized infantry formations.

  Action taken

  The 3rd Guards Rifle Division was reorganized as the 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division at Klaipėda.

  Aftermath

  It served within the Baltic Military District during the Cold War.

  Source

• 1946

  Reduction to separate rifle brigadeStrategy

  Background

  Postwar Soviet force reductions affected the wartime division.

  Action taken

  The formation was reduced to the 13th Separate Guards Rifle Brigade on 31 July.

  Aftermath

  It was restored as a rifle division in October 1953.

  Source

1. 13rd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionen.wikipedia.org