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62nd Rifle Division

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62nd Rifle Division
Active1936–1945; 1955–1957
Country Soviet Union
BranchSoviet Army
TypeInfantry
Garrison/HQTermez (4th formation)
EngagementsWinter War

World War II

DecorationsOrder of the Red Banner (3rd and 4th formations)

Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1st and 3rd formations)
Order of Suvorov 2nd class (3rd formation)

Order of Kutuzov 2nd class (3rd formation)
Battle honoursTurkestan (1st formation)

Borisov (3rd formation)

Nevel (4th formation)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Semyon Levin

The 62nd Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Union's Red Army, formed four times and active during World War II and the postwar period. The division was formed in 1936 and fought in the Winter War and Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. It was destroyed during the Battle of Kiev in summer 1941. The division was reformed in November 1941. It fought in the defense against the German offensive Case Blue during the summer of 1942. After suffering heavy losses, it was withdrawn from combat but was sent back to fight in the Battle of Stalingrad in November. The division suffered heavy losses and was disbanded on 2 November. The division was reformed a third time from a rifle brigade in April 1943. It fought in Operation Suvorov, Operation Bagration, the East Prussian Offensive and the Prague Offensive. It was disbanded in the summer of 1945. The 62nd was reformed a fourth time by renaming the 360th Rifle Division, but became the 108th Motor Rifle Division in 1957.

History

First formation

The division was formed in July 1936 from the 2nd Turkestan Rifle Division. In June 1940, the division fought in the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia. The corps was with 15th Rifle Corps of 5th Army on 22 June 1941. It was destroyed in the Battle of Kiev. The division was officially disbanded on 19 September.[1][2]

Second formation

The division was reformed in November 1941. It joined the 'operational army' on 2 November 1941, serving on the front until 29 July 1942. It then fought on the front again from 7 October 1942 to 2 November 1942. It was then disbanded.[3]

Third formation

The division was recreated on 15 April 1943 from the 44th Separate Rifle Brigade. In March 1944, it inherited the Order of the Red Banner of Labour from the division's first formation.[4] The division fought in the Battle of Stalingrad and at Kursk. It was with the 31st Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front in May 1945. It was disbanded in the summer of 1945[2] by the order forming the Central Group of Forces, dated 29 May 1945.[5] On 10 June 1945 Feskov et al. 2013 lists the division as being with 36th Rifle Corps (along with 88th and 331st Rifle Divisions) in the 31st Army.[6]

Fourth formation

In April 1955, the 62nd Rifle Division was formed a fourth time by renaming the 360th Rifle Division at Termez with the 17th Rifle Corps.[7] This formation inherited the honorific "Nevel" and the Order of the Red Banner from the 360th Rifle Division. On 25 June 1957, it became the 108th Motor Rifle Division.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "62-я Туркестанская стрелковая дивизия" [62nd Turkestan Rifle Division]. rkka.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Стрелковые 61–75" [Rifle 61–75]. myfront.in.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ "62-я стрелковая дивизия" [62nd Rifle Division]. rkka.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  4. ^ "62-я Борисовская Краснознаменная стрелковая дивизия" [62nd Borisov Red Banner Rifle Division]. rkka.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  5. ^ Feskov et al 2013 pp. 413, 416
  6. ^ Feskov et al 2013, 47.
  7. ^ Crofoot, Craig; Avanzini, Michael (1 May 2005). Armies of the Bear. Tiger Lily Publications LLC. p. 82. ISBN 9780972029605.
  8. ^ Feskov et al 2013, pp. 537–538
  9. ^ Holm, Michael. "108th Motorised Rifle Division". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  • 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. ISBN 9785895035306.
  • Poirer and Connor, Red Army Order of Battle in the Great Patriotic War, 1985.

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