54th Guards Rifle Division

Traces its history from the 119th Infantry Division (2nd formation)

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Battle Path

• “For the courage, steadfastness, organization, and heroism shown by the personnel in the battles against the Nazi invaders, the 119th Infantry Division (2nd formation) was transformed into the 54th Guards Infantry Division (December 16, 1942).
• Continuing to advance along the railway west of Surovikino , units of the division participated in battles for cities and railway stations Oblivskaya, Morozovskaya (Morozovsk), Tatsinsky (Tatsinsky), Belaya Kalitva .
• In March – July 1943, a division consisting of 3 Guards Army, then 51 armies of the South-Western Front fought stubborn defensive battles west of the city of Voroshilovgrad .
• From August 13, 1943 until the end of February 1944, she acted in the 5th shock army of the Southern (from October 20, 1943 4th Ukrainian) front. In August-September 1943, she participated in the Donbass sweeping operation, during which she fought for the city of Ilovaisk (September 4), the first to break into the city of Makeyevka (September 6), and took part in the liberation of the city of Stalin ( Donetsk ). For the difference in the battles during the liberation of the city, Makeevka was awarded the honorary name "Makeevskaya" (September 8).
• In late September - early November 1943, the division participated in the Melitopol, in late January and February 1944 in the Nikopol-Kryvyi Rih offensive operations. “For exemplary performance of the combat missions of the command during the liquidation of the Nikopol bridgehead of the Nazi troops and the valor and courage shown by the personnel,” she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (February 13, 1944).
• In March, as part of the 5th shock army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, she participated in the Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya and Odessa offensive operations. For the difference in the battles during the liberation of the city, Nikolaev was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree (April 1, 1944).
• At the end of March, it was transferred to the 28th army and, together with it, was withdrawn to the reserve of the Supreme Command. In June-August, a division in the 28th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front (in which it operated until the end of the war) fought for the liberation of Belarus. “For the successful fulfillment of command assignments in battles that contributed to the liberation from the Nazi invaders of the city of Minsk, courage and courage of the personnel” was awarded the Order of Lenin (July 23, 1944).
• At the end of July, units of the division reached the state border of the USSR northwest of the city of Brest , immediately crossed the Western Bug River and entered Poland.
• In October, a division consisting of troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front participated in breaking through the enemy’s long-term defense in the Gumbinnen direction. High combat skill was demonstrated by the division’s soldiers in the East Prussian offensive operation of 1945. Skilfully circumventing enemy strongholds and resistance nodes from the flanks, the division surrounded and divisions of the division were well-trained assault groups and destroyed enemy garrisons in long-term firing structures. During fierce battles with the stubbornly opposing enemy, infantrymen, artillerymen, sappers, signalmen and other soldiers of the division heroically acted.
• The guards of the division bravely fought the enemy during the liquidation of the enemy group south-west of the city of Königsberg ( Kaliningrad ). For the difference in these battles, the division was awarded the Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree (April 26, 1945).
• In April, a division in the army was transferred to the 1st Ukrainian Front and participated in the Berlin offensive operation at the final stage of the war.

• 160th Guards Rifle Regiment;
• 162nd Guards Rifle Regiment;
• 163rd Guards Rifle Regiment;
• 125th Guards Artillery Regiment;
• 61st separate guards anti-tank fighter division;
• 71st guards anti-aircraft artillery battery (237th anti-aircraft artillery battery, 75th guards anti-aircraft artillery battery until 04/15/1943); ^[one]
• 53rd Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company;
• 60th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion;
• 84th Separate Guards Battalion of Communications (until 11/05/1944 84th Separate Guards Communications Company) ^[2] ;
• 427th (58th) separate health battalion;
• 57th Separate Guards Chemical Defense Company;
• 622nd (56th) separate motor transport company;
• 593rd (55th) field bakery;
• 538th (59th) division veterinary infirmary;
• 868th field postal station;
• 1122nd box office of the State Bank

^[3] .

• December 16, 1942 - March 29, 1944
• May 28, 1944 - September 14, 1944
• October 13, 1944 - March 31, 1945
• April 20, 1945 - May 11, 1945 ^[3] .

^[four]

• The division was commanded by:
• Kulagin, Ivan Yakovlevich (04/21/1942 - 11/20/1942), Colonel
• Danilov, Mikhail Matveevich (11/21/1942 - 12/16/1942), Colonel, since January 1943, Major General .
• after conversion to the 54th Guards:
• Danilov, Mikhail Matveevich (12/16/1942 - 05/11/1945), Colonel, from 29/29/1943 major general.
• Chiefs of Staff:
• Vladychansky, Anton Stanislavovich (04/04/1942 - 09/09/1943) major, lieutenant colonel, colonel.
• regiments commanded

• 365th joint venture:
• Martsenyuk Vasily Varfolomeevich (05/15/1942 - 12/28/1942), died 12/28/1942

• 421st joint venture:
• Eliseev Nikolay Georgievich (10/12/1942 - 04/04/1942)
• Kukhorenko Timofey Evdokimovich (05/05/1942 - 11/20/1942), died 11/20/1942

• 634th joint venture:
• Fishing Georgy Leontyevich (on 12/18/1942)

• 160th Guards cn:
• Pivnenko Petr Yakovlevich (from 12.30.1942)
• Ivanov Georgy Ivanovich (12/18/1942 - 03/10/1943)
• Yatsenko Ivan Gerasimovich (03/10/1943 - 08/20/1943), wounded
• Pavlov Vasily Pavlovich (08/29/1943 - 11/15/1943)
• Otekin Ivan Ivanovich (from 11/15/1943)
• Belyaev Alexander Georgievich (02.21.1944 - 03.31.1944)

...

• Pozdnyakov Konstantin Fedorovich (12/10/1944 - 04/27/1945)
• Otekin Ivan Ivanovich (from 05.15.1945)
• Brovchak Alexander Timofeevich (12/22/1945 - 06/17/1946)

• 162nd Guards joint venture: Goldstein Elya Isaakovich (12/04/1942 - 03/10/1943)
• Pivnenko Peter Yakovlevich (01/08/1943 - 07/09/1943) (?)
• Shevchenko Grigory Onufrievich (07/09/1943 - 08/20/1943), died 08/20/1943
• Chikvaidze George Levanovich (08/29/1943 - 08/08/1943), the disease
• Nosyrev German Petrovich (11/04/1943 - 01/01/1943), died 01/11/1943
• Belyaev Alexander Georgievich (12.16.1943 - 03.10.1944)
• Burenko Fedor Vlasovich (12.24.1943 - 03.13.1944), wounded
• Stepura Vasily Semenovich (02/11/1944 - 10/25/1944)
• Ustinovich Alexander Pavlovich (10.25.1944 - 03/05/1945)
• Bykhovets Vladimir Ivanovich (from 05.03.1945)
• Sargsyan Andronik Sarkisovich (06/05/1945 - 01/26/1946)
• Karamushko Nikolai Petrovich (from 16.01.1946)

• 163th Guards cn:
• Pivnenko Peter Yakovlevich (12/28/1942 - 06/30/1943) (?)
• Bugaev Efim Khrisanfovich (from March 28, 1943) (?)
• Bugaev Efim Khrisanfovich (06/30/1943 - 10/30/1943)
• Korolev Petr Nikolaevich (10/22/1943 - 12/08/1943), wounded
• Selin Yakov Efimovich (from 06.12.1943)
• Balva Ivan Fedorovich (12/16/1943 - 03/04/1944), wounded on 03/04/1944
• Harutyunyan Arakel Harutyunovich (from 03.31.1944)
• Selin Yakov Efimovich (03.03.1944 -?) (?)
• Zhuravlev Anatoly Konstantinovich (- 08/18/1944), killed
• Rudkov Ilya Sergeevich (08.19.1944 - 10.17.1944)
• Ustinovich Alexander Pavlovich (10/17/1944 - 10/25/1944)
• Kononovich Vasily Konstantinovich (10.25.1944 - 02.15.1945), shell-shocked
• Danenkov Kuzma Danilovich (03/05/1945 - 03/15/1945), wounded
• Glavatsky Georgy Konstantinovich (03/19/1945 - 06/28/1945) (?)
• Sarkisyan Andronik Sarkisovich (05.22.1945 - 06.06.1945) (?)
• Timoshin Fedor Georgievich (from 28.06.1945)

•   "Guards" - the honorary title was awarded by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR of December 16, 1942 for the courage shown in the battles for the Fatherland, for stamina, courage, discipline, organization and heroism of the personnel.
• "Makeevskaya" - the honorary name was awarded by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of September 8, 1943 to commemorate the victory achieved and the distinction in the battles during the liberation of Makeevka .
•   Order of the Red Banner - awarded by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 13, 1944 for exemplary performance of command missions at the front of the battle against the German invaders, for causing great damage to the enemy in manpower and equipment to eliminate the Nikopol bridgehead and the valor and courage shown.
•   Order of Suvorov II degree - awarded by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 1, 1944 for exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders for the liberation of Nikolaev and at the same time shown valor and courage.
•   Order of Lenin - awarded by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 23, 1944 for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders for the liberation of Minsk and the valor and courage shown.
•   The Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class — was awarded by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 26, 1945 for exemplary performance of combat missions of the command at the front of the fight against German invaders defeating German troops southwest of Koenigsberg and showing valor and courage.

Division Awards:

• 160th Guards Rifle Red Banner Regiment;
• 162nd Guards Rifle Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment;
• 163rd Guards Rifle Red Banner Regiment;
• 125th Guards Artillery Red Banner Order of the Suvorov Regiment.

For the heroism, courage and courage shown by the personnel of the division during the Great Patriotic War, about 10 thousand of its soldiers were awarded orders and medals, and 4 of them were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union .

  Heroes of the Soviet Union:

• Akimov, Mikhail Pavlovich gunner of the 125th Guards Artillery Regiment. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 25, 1944.
• Dunaev, Mikhail Nikitovich, platoon commander of the 125th Guards Artillery Regiment. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 19, 1945.

^{[5] [6]}

  Knights of the Order of Glory of three degrees:

• Karikov, Porfiry Gerasimovich , guard foreman, assistant commander of a foot reconnaissance platoon of the 160th Guards Rifle Regiment. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 13, 1944. Order No. 22
• Lysak, Vladimir Moiseevich , guard sergeant, sniper of the 160th Guards Rifle Regiment. He was re-awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 30, 1977. Order No. 1957

^{[7] [6]}

• 51st Rifle Brigade
• 119th Infantry Division (2nd formation)

• Prev Ch. ed. Commission N.V. Ogarkov. Soviet Military Encyclopedia: [In 8 volumes] V.5. = "Makeevka Rifle Division." - Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1978. - S. 86.87 p.
• Makeevka Rifle Division // WWII 1941-1945: Encyclopedia / Editor-in-Chief of the Army General, Professor M. M. Kozlov . - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1985.- P.428,429

• Handbook of parts and compounds of the Red Army
• 54th Guards rifle division
• 119 sd
• 54th Red Banner Makeevka Guards Rifle Division
• ORDER OF THE SUPREME CHIEF COMMANDER TO Colonel General Tolbukhin Army General Malinovsky
• 54 GUARDIAN ARROW DIVISION
• Appendix 14.1. Military formations and ships of June 1941 in the Great Patriotic War.
• 54th Guards Rifle Division on the site "Memory of the People 1941-1945"
• The combat route of the 125th Guards Artillery Regiment of the 54th Guards Rifle Division on the site "Memory of the People 1941-1945"