79th Motor Rifle Division

Sakhalin Rifle Division (1938-1939)

79th Mountain Rifle Division (1939-1940)
79th Rifle Division (1940-1957)

79th Motor Rifle Division (1957-1994)
Active 1938-1994
Country

 Soviet Union (to 1991)

 Russia (1991-1994)
Branch Soviet Army
Type Motorized infantry
Garrison/HQ Leonidovo
Engagements

World War II

Decorations Order of the Red Banner
Battle honours Sakhalin

The 79th Motor Rifle Division was a motorized infantry division of the Soviet Army. It was converted from the 79th Rifle Division in 1957 and inherited the honorific "Sakhalin". The division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.[1] The 79th Rifle Division fought in the Invasion of South Sakhalin in 1945 and was based at Leonidovo for most of its career. [2]

History

The 79th traces its history back to the formation of the Sakhalin Rifle Division on 17 August 1938. In January 1939, the division became the 79th Mountain Rifle Division, commanded by Kombrig Ivan Makarenko. In 1940, it was converted into the 79th Rifle Division. It became part of the 16th Army's 56th Rifle Corps in 1943. During August and September 1945, the division fought in the Invasion of South Sakhalin. For its actions in the invasion, the division was awarded the honorific "Sakhalin". [3][4] During the battle for south Sakhalin, 179th Rifle Regiment Battalion commander Captain Leonid Smirnykh was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union after his battalion captured 5 bunkers and Smirnykh was killed by sniper fire.[5] Sergeant Anton Buyukly was also made a Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously in 1965 for his sacrifice in blocking a bunker firing slit with his body. [6]

The division became the 79th Motor Rifle Division on 17 May 1957 in Leonidovo, part of the 15th Army. In March 1960, it became part of the 2nd Army Corps. On 22 February 1968, it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on the Soviet Army's 50th anniversary.[4] The division became part of the 51st Army in 1977. During the Cold War, the division was maintained at 15% strength. In 1994, the division was disbanded.[1]

Commanders

The following officers commanded the division.[3]

Composition

The 79th Rifle Division included the following units.[7]

The 79th Motor Rifle Division included the following units in 1988. All units are based at Leonidovo unless noted.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Holm, Michael. "79th Motorised Rifle Division". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  2. ↑ Glantz, David (2004-08-02). Soviet Operational and Tactical Combat in Manchuria, 1945: 'August Storm'. Routledge. ISBN 1135774773.
  3. 1 2 "79-я Сахалинская стрелковая дивизия" [79th Sakhalin Rifle Division]. rkka.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 3 Jan 2015.
  4. 1 2 "79-я стрелковая дивизия" [79th Rifle Division]. samsv.narod.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  5. ↑ "Смирных Леонид Владимирович" [Smirnykh Leonid Vladimirovich]. www.warheroes.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  6. ↑ "Буюклы Антон Ефимович" [Buyukly Anton Yefimovich]. www.warheroes.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  7. ↑ "79 СТРЕЛКОВАЯ ДИВИЗИЯ" [79th Rifle Division]. bdsa.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-01-03.
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