79th Guards Rifle Division
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 79th Guards Rifle Division (Russian: 79-я гвардейская стрелковая дивизия) was an infantry division of the Red Army during World War II.
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Active | 1943–1992 |
Country | Soviet Union |
Branch | Red Army (Soviet Army from 1946) |
Type | Division |
Role | Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Tank |
Part of | 8th Guards Army |
Garrison/HQ | Jena (1945–1992) |
Engagements | Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive Battle of Berlin |
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Battle honours | Zaporozhye |
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It was created on 1 March 1943 from the remnants of the 284th Rifle Division, in recognition of that division's stalwart defense against the German Sixth Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, in particular the Mamayev Kurgan hill and parts of the city's center. The 79th Guards continued a record of distinguished service through the rest of the Great Patriotic War, and continued to serve postwar, in several roles, until being finally disbanded in 1992.
It became the 20th Guards Mechanized Division in 1945, 27th Guards Tank Division in 1957, and the 79th Guards Tank Division in 1965. It served with the 8th Guards Army from 1943 until it was disbanded.