301st Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 301st Rifle Division began service as a standard Red Army rifle division shortly after the German invasion, but was soon largely destroyed in the encirclement of Kiev, although enough of a cadre survived to form the basis of a second formation. This new division began forming in the last days of 1941, and saw some limited service in the Second Battle of Kharkov, but then had to fall back in the face of the German summer offensive, became encircled quite early on, and had to be disbanded in July. Nearly a year later a third 301st was raised, based on the personnel and equipment of two existing rifle brigades. This incarnation of the division compiled a creditable record of service in several major offensives through Ukraine, then into Poland and into the heart of Berlin in April, 1945, and also served briefly post-war in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, headquartered in Berlin.
301st Rifle Division (July 10, 1941 – December 27, 1941) 301st Rifle Division (December 27, 1941 – July 13, 1942) 301st Rifle Division (June, 1943 – October, 1946) | |
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Active | 1941–1946 |
Country | Soviet Union |
Branch | Red Army |
Type | Division |
Role | Infantry |
Engagements | Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Second Battle of Kharkov Operation Blue Donbass Strategic Offensive Battle of the Dniepr First Jassy–Kishinev Offensive Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive Vistula-Oder Offensive Battle of Berlin |
Decorations | Order of Suvorov (3rd Formation) |
Battle honours | Stalino (3rd Formation) |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Col. Aleksei Aleksandrovich Sokolov Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Timofeevich Volchkov Col. Pyotr Ivanovich Ivanov Col. Vladimir Semyonovich Antonov |