The 7th Guards Tank Division was a
tank division
A division is a large military unit or Formation (military), formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically mak ...
of the
Soviet Army
The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army.
After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...
during the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
.
The division traced its heritage back to the 7th Guards Tank Corps, formed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in July 1943 from the
15th Tank Corps
The 15th Tank Corps (, ''15-y tankoviy korpus'') was a Tank corps (Soviet Union), tank corps of the Soviet Union's Red Army. It formed in 1938 from a Mechanised corps (Soviet Union), mechanized corps and fought in the Soviet invasion of Poland, ...
for its performance in
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German ''Ger ...
, the Soviet counteroffensive after the
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk, also called the Battle of the Kursk Salient, was a major World War II Eastern Front battle between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in southwestern Russia during the summer of 1943, resulting in ...
. It was part of the
3rd Guards Tank Army
The 3rd Guards Tank Army () was a tank army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II. The 3rd Tank Army was created in 1942 and fought in the southern areas of the Soviet Union and Poland, then in Germany and Czechoslovakia ...
during the war, and was converted into a tank division like the rest of the tank corps in 1945. Stationed in
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
postwar, it was briefly downsized into a regiment in 1946 and relocated to eastern Germany in 1947, becoming part of the
Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany
The Western Group of Forces (WGF), previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG) and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG), were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupation ...
, which later became the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG). The division was stationed at
Roßlau
Rosslau (in German orthography: Roßlau) was until 30 June 2007 a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, belonging to the district Anhalt-Zerbst. After a fusion with the town of Dessau it became eponym of the newly founded town of Dessau-Roßlau and a qua ...
in
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
for the rest of the Cold War and participated in the
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The ...
, Operation Danube, in August 1968. For much of the 1980s it formed part of the
3rd Red Banner Army. As the Cold War wound down, the troops of the GSFG, renamed the Western Group of Forces in 1989, were pulled out of Germany, and the 7th Guards Tank Division was withdrawn to
Pyriatyn
Pyriatyn (, ) is a city in Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. It served as the administrative center of Pyriatyn Raion until its abolishment in 2020. Population:
History
At the end of 1941 or beginning 1942, a ghetto guarded by policemen was establishe ...
in Ukraine, where it became a storage base in July 1990.
Operation Kutuzov
On 26 July 1943, the 7th Guards Tank Corps, part of the
3rd Guards Tank Army
The 3rd Guards Tank Army () was a tank army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II. The 3rd Tank Army was created in 1942 and fought in the southern areas of the Soviet Union and Poland, then in Germany and Czechoslovakia ...
on the
Bryansk Front
The Bryansk Front () was a Front (military formation), major formation of the Red Army during the World War II, Second World War.
First Formation (August - November 1941)
General Andrei Yeremenko was designated commander of the Front when it fi ...
, was formed from the
15th Tank Corps
The 15th Tank Corps (, ''15-y tankoviy korpus'') was a Tank corps (Soviet Union), tank corps of the Soviet Union's Red Army. It formed in 1938 from a Mechanised corps (Soviet Union), mechanized corps and fought in the Soviet invasion of Poland, ...
in recognition of the "courage and bravery" of its actions in
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German ''Ger ...
, the Soviet counterattack after the
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk, also called the Battle of the Kursk Salient, was a major World War II Eastern Front battle between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in southwestern Russia during the summer of 1943, resulting in ...
, under the command of Major General
Filipp Rudkin. The 88th Tank Brigade became the 54th Guards Tank Brigade, the 113th became the 55th Guards, the 195th became the 56th Guards, and the 17th Motor Rifle Brigade became the 23rd Guards. On the same day as it became a Guards unit, the corps and the rest of the army attempted to advance towards
Stanovoy Kolodez, but were stopped by heavy fire after Soviet aerial reconnaissance detected a concentration of German tanks in the area of Mikhailovka and Pilatovka, and the advance of tank columns from Pilatovka to Stanovoy Kolodez. Further advance by the 3rd Guards Tank Army threatened to result in protracted and bloody positional battles, and thus in the late evening of the day the army was ordered to relocated to the
Central Front
The Central Front was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War formed on July 24, 1941.
The Central Front describes either of two distinct organizations during the war.
The first entity existed for just a month during the ...
to support the advance of the
48th Army on the front's right flank.
The 7th Guards were to concentrate in the area of Krasnaya Rybnitsa, Olgino, and Preobrazhenskoye by 22:00 on 27 July. Due to heavy rain that washed away dirt roads, the relocation of the army was not completed until 06:00 on the morning of 28 July. At 09:30, the army issued orders for the upcoming attack, in which the corps was to attack towards Nikolskoye, Nestorovo, and Khomuty, where it was to cross the
Oka River
The Oka (, ; ) is a river in central Russia, the largest right tributary of the Volga. It flows through the regions of Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod and is navigable over a large part of its total length, ...
and reach the line of Sebyakino and Korovye Boloto, supported by infantry from the 48th Army. The orders thus called for the army to advance and cross both the
Malaya Ribnitsa and Oka Rivers in half a day against prepared German fortifications on the left bank of the Malaya Ribnitsa. The attack began at 14:00, but by the end of the day the army's troops had only reached the Malaya Ribnitsa due to the inability of the infantry of the 48th Army, worn down in previous fighting, to provide effective support. The 7th Guards were advancing on Filosofovo and Nikolskoye in conjunction with the
91st Separate Tank Brigade at the end of the day.
At 21:00, the army issued new orders, which involved breaking through the German fortifications on 29 July and then reaching the Oka on 30 July. Throughout 29 July, the corps unsuccessfully attempted to advance through the German fortifications, but was again halted. Thant night, the Central Front ordered a continuation of the attack, with each of the army's corps supported by a mechanized brigade from the
7th Guards Mechanized Corps. The 34th Mechanized Brigade was assigned to the 7th Guards Tank Corps for the next day's attack. The assault was resumed on morning of 30 July, but the army achieved only modest success, with the 7th Guards Tank Corps seizing Nikolskoye.
In the evening, the front issued orders for a daylong pause in the offensive for reorganization, and a resumption of the attack on 1 August. This was changed by an order received by the army at 01:30 on 31 July, which directed that the army withdraw from the battle on the night of 1 August and reconcentrate southwest of Rybnitsa. The army reached the new area at 05:00 on 2 August and spent the next two days receiving reinforcements and supplies. On the night of 3–4 August, the army was transferred to the area of Beldyazhki, Rzhava, and Puzeyevo to support the
13th Army Thirteenth Army or 13th Army may refer to:
* Thirteenth Army (Japan)
* Japanese Thirteenth Area Army
* 13th Army (Russian Empire), unit in World War I
*13th Army (RSFSR), a unit in the Russian Civil War
*13th Army (Soviet Union)
The 13th Army (, ...
's drive on the
Kroma River
Kroma Entertainment, commonly known as Kroma (stylized in uppercase), is a Philippine media and entertainment company engaging in film, television, events, production, digital content management and other media-related businesses. It is financia ...
. The 7th Guards were to cross the Kroma in the area of Kutafino and Krasnaya Roshcha, capture the Starognezdilovo area, and advance on Melikhovo, Soskovo, and Mytskoye.
Heavy German artillery fire and air strikes, coupled with terrain virtually inaccessible to tanks, hindered the crossing. As a result, a dam was built in the corps' sector to enable the crossing of the marshes leading to the river, and by the end of the day, the army held positions on the southern bank of the Kroma from Novotroitsky to Kutafino. On the night of 4 August, army commander
Pavel Rybalko
Pavel Semyonovich Rybalko (, ; 23 October 1894 – 28 August 1948) was a commander of armoured troops in the Red Army during and following World War II.
Early life and career
Pavel Rybalko served in the Russian and later the Soviet Army from 1914. ...
issued orders directing the army's units to clear the approaches to the fords at night, capture a bridgehead on the northern bank of the river and transport the main forces there, and to attack and break through the German lines at dawn on 5 August, with the main forces of the army in a single echelon. The attack was scheduled to begin at 04:30 on 5 August, but the troops failed to capture the fords across the river and at dawn heavy fighting resumed along the army's front. A combined assault by three tank and motor rifle brigades of the
6th and 7th Guards Tank Corps managed to cross the river and take Glinki, but it was driven back by the end of the day under the pressure of a German infantry regiment with artillery, air, and tank support. Meanwhile, the corps' 54th Guards Tank Brigade captured the Kutafino crossing and began moving tanks over the river during the night.
Rybalko assessed the dispersion of the artillery support from both the 13th Army and 3rd Guards Tank Army as the reason for the failure of the attacks on 5 August, and in order to concentrate artillery fire along a shortened front he narrowed the army's attack towards Kalinovsky, Kalinov, and Troitsky, with the immediate objective of reaching the line of Krasny Pakhar and Ivanovsky. The 7th Guards were tasked with advancing on Krasny Pakhar and Ivanovsky from the area of Leshnya. Slowly driving back the German defenders in fierce fighting, the corps was unable to advance beyond the Leshnya area on 6 August. On 7 August, the corps was ordered to continue the attack towards Ivanovsky, further develop the breakthrough towards Melikhovo and capture the area of Martyanovo and Zyagintsevo. During the day, the corps captured Ivanovsky against slowly retreating German troops. For the next two days, they continued to advance against stubborn resistance, capturing Melikhovo by 9 August but being stopped at Soskovo that morning.
As the German forces fell back on heavily fortified heights at Soskovo, Gniloye Boloto and Martyanovo, their resistance intensified. After the army's initial attacks on the afternoon of 9 August failed, Rybalko created a shock group for the next day's attack, built around the 6th and 7th Guards Tank Corps, reinforced by the 91st Brigade, and supported by all of the army's artillery and two artillery regiments from the 13th Army. It was to bypass Soskovo from the north and develop the offensive towards Mytskoye. Despite heavy losses and ineffective artillery support due to ammunition shortages from the 13th Army, the shock group managed to overrun the heights, with the 7th Guards fighting on Soskovo's northern edge. The defending German
6th and
383rd Infantry Divisions also suffered heavy losses and began a retreat to the
Vodocha River line.
Late on 10 August, the 3rd Guards Tank was ordered to be withdrawn from the front and concentrated in the area of Kalinov, Maslovo, and Apalkovo for reorganization and replenishment. On the night of 10–11 August, the army handed over its positions to the 13th Army's infantry units and moved to the rear in the specified concentration areas. Early on 12 August, the army was placed under the overall command of the 13th Army's commander,
Nikolay Pukhov, who ordered it to form a combined tank brigade in each tank corps, intending to continue the assault on 13 August in the sector of 13th Army's
15th Rifle Corps
The 15th Rifle Corps () was a rifle corps of the Red Army, formed five times; each formation was a distinct unit unrelated to the others. It was part of the 5th Army. It took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939.
History
1922–1924 ...
. However, this was changed and on 13 August the 3rd Guards Tank was instead withdrawn to the
Reserve of the Supreme High Command
The Reserve of the Supreme High Command (Russian: Резерв Верховного Главнокомандования; also known as the '' Stavka'' Reserve or RVGK () or RGK ( comprises reserve military formations and units; the ''Stavka'' ...
(RVGK), ending the army and the corps' fighting in Operation Kutuzov. By 17 August, it had been concentrated in the area of Maslovo, Zhuravlino, Nikolayevka, Panin, Petrik, and Tsvetovo, south of
Kursk
Kursk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur (Kursk Oblast), Kur, Tuskar, and Seym (river), Seym rivers. It has a population of
Kursk ...
, receiving replacement personnel and equipment.
Battle of the Dnieper
On 6 September, the army was ordered to begin moving to the
Sumy
Sumy (, , ) is a city in northeastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Sumy Oblast. The city is situated on the banks of the Psel (river), Psel River and has a population of making it the 23rd-largest in the country.
The city ...
area on 8 September and to complete the relocation by 15 September, when it was to join the
Voronezh Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front (), previously the Voronezh Front (), was a major formation of the Red Army during World War II, being equivalent to a Western army group. They took part in the capture of Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany.
Wartime ...
to fight in the Chernigov–Poltava Strategic Offensive, part of the
Battle of the Dnieper
The Battle of the Dnieper was a military campaign that took place in 1943 on the Eastern Front of World War II. Being one of the largest operations of the war, it involved almost four million troops at one point and stretched over a front.
Ov ...
. At this time the 7th Guards fielded 164
T-34
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than many of its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against Anti-tank warfare, ...
medium tanks, 21
SU-76
The SU-76 ('' Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76'') was a Soviet light self-propelled gun used during and after World War II. The SU-76 was based on a lengthened version of the T-70 light tank chassis and armed with the ZIS-3 mod. 1942 76-mm divisional ...
and 12
SU-152
The SU-152 () is a Soviet self-propelled heavy howitzer used during World War II.
It mounted a 152 mm gun-howitzer on the chassis of a KV-1S heavy tank. Later production used an IS tank chassis and was re-designated ISU-152. Because of it ...
self-propelled guns, and a single
KV heavy tank. As planned, the army's troops relocated by road to the Sumy area, completing the march by 13 September, but the equipment, moved by rail, was delayed due to the German airstrikes and destruction of railway ties during their retreat. While the army moved to the front, the Voronezh Front was advancing westward, and the deployment of the army to Sumy was no longer necessary. As a result, the army's place of concentration was switched to
Romny
Romny (, ) is a city in Sumy Oblast, northern Ukraine. It is located on the Romen River. Romny serves as the administrative centre of Romny Raion and hosts the administration of , one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population:
History
The city w ...
, which was reached by 19 September after a march of . The army was tasked with pursuing the retreating German forces westwards towards
Pryluky
Pryluky ( ) is a city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality located on the Udai River in Chernihiv Oblast, north-central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Pryluky Raion (Raion, district). Located nearby is the Pryluky (a ...
,
Turovka,
Yahotyn,
Pereiaslav
Pereiaslav is a historical town in Boryspil Raion, Kyiv Oblast, central Ukraine. It is located near the confluence of the Alta and Trubizh rivers some southeast of the capital Kyiv. It was one of the key regional centers of power during the ...
, and seizing a bridgehead south of Pereiaslav on the
Dnieper
The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...
, with the 6th and 7th Guards in the first echelon.
The westward advance from Romny began as scheduled at 20:00 on 20 September, but the army was not "in contact" with the retreating German troops. In order to speed up the pace of the offensive on 21 September, Rybalko ordered the formation of a forward detachment in each tank corps, consisting of motorized infantry, sappers, motorcyclists, an anti-tank artillery regiment, a
Katyusha
Katyusha () is a diminutive of the Russian name Ekaterina or Yekaterina, the Russian form of Katherine
Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in c ...
battalion, tanks and tank destroyers, and bridges if the situation permitted. The corps' mission for the day was to swiftly advance to the river and seize crossings in the sector of
Khodorov and
Traktomirov. Rybalko's decision to use mostly motorized infantry in the vanguard of the advance was due to fuel supply issues caused by German infrastructure destruction and traffic jams from Soviet troops using the same roads as refugees. By the end of the day, the corps' 54th Brigade had reached the
Bukrin bend in the Dnieper River at Traktomirov. The bridgehead over the Dnieper in the area of Traktomirov, Andrushy, and Monastyrka that the corps captured in the following days became known as the
Bukrin bridgehead. For the next month the 7th Guards fought in fierce fighting to expand the bridgehead.
Kiev to Berlin
At the end of October and the beginning of November, the 7th Guards were secretly transferred from Bukrin to the
Lyutezh bridgehead. The corps fought in the capture of
Kiev
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
during the
Battle of Kiev, and received the honorific Kiev for its actions on 6 November. It then fought in fierce fighting against a large German counterattack southwest of
Fastov, and for "displaying courage and valor and exemplary completion of combat missions", the corps was awarded its first
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of S ...
on 1 January 1944. The 7th Guards fought in the
Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive and the
Proskurov–Chernovitsy Offensive in early 1944, and received a second Order of the Red Banner on 19 March for "skilled fighting" in the capture of
Right-bank Ukraine
The Right-bank Ukraine is a historical and territorial name for a part of modern Ukraine on the right (west) bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding to the modern-day oblasts of Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, as well as the western parts o ...
.
During the
Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive
The Lvov–Sandomierz offensive or Lvov–Sandomierz strategic offensive operation () was a major Red Army operation to force the German troops from Ukraine and Eastern Poland. Launched in mid-July 1944, the operation was successfully completed ...
in July, the corps entered the fight through a narrow penetration under constant air attack and shelling, the Koltov Corridor. It attacked towards
Lvov
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
and on 27 July the corps' 56th Guards Tank Brigade fought in the capture of the city. Meanwhile, the 7th Guards' main forces bypassed the city from the north and reached the area south of
Yavorov, cutting off the German troops in Lvov from the west. For its "valor and courage", the tank corps was awarded the
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800).
History
The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet Union, Soviet award established on ...
, 2nd class, on 10 August. During the month it fought to retain the
Sandomierz bridgehead on the
Vistula
The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra i ...
, repulsing strong German counterattacks in the northern sector of the bridgehead.
In the
Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive and
Lower Silesian Offensive in early 1945, the 7th Guards advanced over 150 kilometers and captured fortified city of
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not Si ...
on the
Warta
The river Warta ( , ; ; ) rises in central Poland and meanders greatly through the Polish Plain in a north-westerly direction to flow into the Oder at Kostrzyn nad Odrą on Poland's border with Germany. About long, it the second-longest riv ...
alongside the
5th Guards Army
The 5th Guards Army was a Soviet Guards formation which fought in many critical actions during World War II under the command of General Aleksey Semenovich Zhadov. The 5th Guards Army was formed in spring 1943 from the 66th Army in recognition o ...
's
31st Tank Corps on 17 January. In the
Berlin Offensive
The Battle of Berlin, designated as the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, and also known as the Fall of Berlin, was one of the last major offensives of the European theatre of World War II.
After the Vistula–Od ...
, which began in mid-April, the corps advanced over 400 kilometers. For "exemplary completion of command tasks" during the breakthrough of German lines on the
Neisse
The Lusatian Neisse (; ; ; Upper Sorbian: ''Łužiska Nysa''; Lower Sorbian: ''Łužyska Nysa''), or Western Neisse, is a river in northern Central Europe. the corps was awarded the
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...
on 28 May, and for distinguishing itself in the capture of
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
the corps was awarded the honorific "Berlin" on 4 June. The 7th Guards' last combat operation was the
Prague Offensive, during which it advanced south into
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
and participated in the liberation of
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
. During the war, 45,000 soldiers of the corps were decorated and 64 received the title
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...
.
Aleksandr Golovachev,
David Dragunsky
David Abramovich Dragunsky (; – 12 October 1992) was a tank officer in World War II who was twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Early life
Dragunsky was born on to a large Jewish family in Svyatsk; his parents were tailors. ...
,
Zakhar Slyusarenko, and
Semyon Khokhryakov were awarded the title twice.
Cold War
In accordance with an order dated 10 June 1945, the corps was converted into the 7th Guards Tank Division, and the army became the 3rd Guards Mechanized Army. The corps' brigades became regiments with the same numbers. On the same day, the 3rd Guards Tank Army became part of the
Central Group of Forces
The Central Group of Forces (Russian: Центральная группа войск) was a formation of the Soviet Armed Forces used to incorporate Soviet troops in Central Europe on two occasions: in Austria and Hungary from 1945 to 1955 and tr ...
in the
Pardubice
Pardubice (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 92,000 inhabitants. It is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the Elbe River. The historic centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Repub ...
area of Czechoslovakia, and in 1946 it was reduced to a separate mobilization tank division, with its subordinate units each dropping one level – divisions became regiments, and regiments became battalions. In the spring of 1947, the division was transferred to the
Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany
The Western Group of Forces (WGF), previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG) and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG), were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupation ...
(later the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany), stationed in east Germany, and the 7th Guards were relocated to
Roßlau
Rosslau (in German orthography: Roßlau) was until 30 June 2007 a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, belonging to the district Anhalt-Zerbst. After a fusion with the town of Dessau it became eponym of the newly founded town of Dessau-Roßlau and a qua ...
. The 3rd Guards Mechanized Army and its units returned to full strength in the spring of 1950.
On 29 April 1957, the 3rd Guards Mechanized became the 18th Guards Army.
In August 1964, the 18th Guards Army headquarters was transferred to
Alma Ata
Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains in southern Kazakhstan, near the border wi ...
in Kazakhstan, and the division joined the
20th Guards Army
The 20th Guards Combined Arms Army (originally designated as the 4th Tank Army, 4th Guards Tank Army in 1945, 4th Guards Mechanised Army in 1946, and the 20th Guards Army in 1960 within the Soviet Ground Forces) is a field army. In 1991, after th ...
by 1 March 1965. It was soon transferred to the
1st Guards Tank Army
The 1st Guards Tank Red Banner Army () is a tank army of the Russian Ground Forces (Military Unit Number 73621).
The army traces its heritage back to the 1st Tank Army, formed twice in July 1942 and in January 1943 and converted into the 1st ...
. In August and September 1968, the division participated in the
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The ...
, ending the
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring (; ) was a period of liberalization, political liberalization and mass protest in
the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Alexander Dubček was elected Secretary (title), First Secre ...
, a period in which Czechoslovakia attempted
democratization
Democratization, or democratisation, is the structural government transition from an democratic transition, authoritarian government to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction ...
. By the early 1980s, the 7th Guards had been transferred to the
3rd Army. On 28 August 1988, the division's 650th Separate Rocket Battalion was transferred to the new
448th Rocket Brigade
The 448th Rocket Brigade named for S.P. Nepobedimy is a tactical ballistic missile brigade of the Russian Ground Forces. Based in Kursk, the brigade is part of the 20th Guards Army.
History
The brigade was formed in September 1987 at Born in Ea ...
, formed from the rocket battalions of the 3rd Army.
In July 1990, the division was withdrawn to
Pyriatyn
Pyriatyn (, ) is a city in Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. It served as the administrative center of Pyriatyn Raion until its abolishment in 2020. Population:
History
At the end of 1941 or beginning 1942, a ghetto guarded by policemen was establishe ...
in the
Kiev Military District
The Kiev Military District (; , abbreviated ) was a military district of the Imperial Russian Army and subsequently of the Red Army and Soviet Armed Forces. It was first formed in 1862, and was headquartered in Kiev (Kyiv) for most of its exist ...
, where it was converted into the 4214th Guards Weapons and Equipment Storage Base as part of the
1st Guards Army. On 19 November 1990, the base included 187
T-64
The T-64 is a Soviet tank manufactured in Kharkiv, and designed by Alexander Morozov. The tank was introduced in the early 1960s. It was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62: the T-64 served in tank divisions, while the T-62 supported i ...
main battle tanks, 11
BMP-1
The BMP-1 is a Soviet Union, Soviet Amphibious vehicle, amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle that has been in service from 1966 to the present. BMP stands for ''Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1'' (), meaning "infantry fighting vehicle, 1st ...
amphibious infantry fighting vehicles, 15
BRM-1K
This is a complete list of formal variants and designations of the BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). It is sorted by country of origin. Many field modifications may exist that are not listed here.
Variants
Soviet Union
Infantry fighting ...
command vehicles, 12
BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher systems, 30
R-145BM
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers (APCs). It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen in public for the first time in 1961. BTR stands for ''bronet ...
command vehicles, 3
RKhM-4 nuclear, biological, and chemical reconnaissance vehicles, 2
UR-67 mine-clearing vehicle, 6
MT-55A bridging vehicles, and 22
MT-LBT auxiliary armored personnel carriers.
In January 1992 it was taken over by Ukraine and renamed 121st Guards Weapons and Military Equipment Storage Base.
[ See also V.I. Feskov et al 2013]
Commanders
During World War II, the 7th Guards Tank Corps was commanded by the following officers:
* Major General
Filipp Rudkin (27 July–6 August 1943)
* Major General
Kirill Suleykov (7 August–13 December 1943)
* Major General
Sergei Ivanov
Sergei Borisovich Ivanov (, ; born 31 January 1953) is a Russian senior official and politician who has been serving as the Special Presidential Envoy on the Issues of Environmental Activities, Ecology and Transport since 12 August 2016. He h ...
(14 December 1943 – 20 July 1944)
* Major General
Vasily Mitrofanov (21 July–7 October 1944)
* Major General Sergei Ivanov (8 October 1944 – 10 April 1945)
* Major General
Vasily Novikov
Vasily Novikov (born 1929) is a Soviet former sports shooter. He competed in the 25 m pistol event at the 1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsi ...
(13 April–11 May 1945)
Order of battle late 1980s
In the late 1980s, the division included the following units:
*55th Guards
Vasylkov Tank Regiment (
Lutherstadt-Wittenberg)
*56th Guards Vasylkov-
Shepetovka
Shepetivka (, ; ) is a city located on the Huska River in Khmelnytskyi Oblast (province) in western Ukraine. Shepetivka is the administrative center of Shepetivka Raion (district). It hosts the administration of Shepetivka urban hromada, one o ...
Tank Regiment (
Zerbst
Zerbst () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until an administrative reform in 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the former Anhalt-Zerbst district.
Geography
Zerbst is sit ...
)
*79th Guards
Bobruisk
Babruysk (, ) or Bobruysk (, ; , ) is a city in Mogilev Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Babruysk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. It is situated on the Berezina River. Babruysk o ...
Tank Regiment (
Roßlau
Rosslau (in German orthography: Roßlau) was until 30 June 2007 a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, belonging to the district Anhalt-Zerbst. After a fusion with the town of Dessau it became eponym of the newly founded town of Dessau-Roßlau and a qua ...
)
*40th Berlin Motor Rifle Regiment (
Bernburg
Bernburg (Saale) () is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis district. The former residence of the Anhalt-Bernburg princes is known for its Renaissance castle.
Geography
The town centre is situated in the fertile Magdeb ...
)
*670th Guards Lvov Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (
Cochstedt)
*287th Guards Lvov Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment (Roßlau)
*4th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (
Quedlinburg-Quarmbeck)
*146th Separate Guards Communications Battalion (Roßlau)
*121st Separate Engineer Battalion (Roßlau)
*165th Separate Chemical Defence Battalion (Roßlau)
*183rd Separate Material Supply Battalion (Roßlau)
*58th Separate Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Roßlau)
*186th Separate Medical Battalion (
Dessau
Dessau is a district of the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the ''States of Germany, Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Until 1 July 2007, it was an independent ...
)
References
Citations
Bibliography
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{{Soviet Union divisions
Tank divisions of the Soviet Union
Military units and formations established in 1945
Military units and formations disestablished in 1990