154th Rifle Division

The 154th Rifle Division was first formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in June 1940 in the Volga Military District, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of the previous September. Just before the war with Germany began it had started moving west as part of 66th Rifle Corps in 21st Army, with orders to concentrate around Gomel as its Army came under command of Western Front. In early July this Army was involved in an ambitious effort to counterattack into the flank of 2nd Panzer Group, and later across the Dniepr River against the German infantry that was advancing toward Babruysk and then Rahachow to Zhlobin. In early August the division was forced back across the Dniepr with its 63rd Rifle Corps, and was soon encircled northwest of Gomel and forced to break out with heavy casualties. Its remnants fell back to join Bryansk Front, and spent September rebuilding and constructing fortifications. When the final German offensive on Moscow began at the end of the month the 154th was west of Bryansk and in the first week of October attempted to contest the city before falling back to the east. After escaping another encirclement with heavy casualties, now as part of 50th Army, it retreated first to Belyov and then formed a core of the defense of the city of Tula, which was successfully defended into early December, after which Western Front went over to the counteroffensive. Late in the month two of the 154th's rifle regiments formed the main infantry component of a special mobile group that successfully thrust behind German lines to liberate the city of Kaluga. After this was taken on December 30 the division pushed on toward Yukhnov, which finally fell on March 5, 1942. It was now removed to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command and assigned to the new 3rd Tank Army as its only rifle division. At the outset of the German summer offensive it was moved south from the Tula area with its Army to take up a position on the northern flank of the German drive. In late August and early September it took part in a largely abortive counteroffensive in the Kozelsk area; it distinguished itself sufficiently that on October 20 it became the 47th Guards Rifle Division.

A new 154th was formed in the Moscow Military District in May 1943, based on a pair of rifle brigades. As it formed it came under command of 68th Army in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command but the Army was assigned to Western Front in July, prior to the start of the summer offensive toward Smolensk. After seeing action in August it was reassigned to 5th Army late in the month, then again to Kalinin Front in September, soon joining 4th Shock Army. Under this command it was involved in the battles to expand the breakthrough south of Nevel toward Haradok and eventually on Vitebsk. The complicated and frustrating fighting for the latter place continued through the winter without decisive success, and prior to the summer offensive the 154th was transferred to 6th Guards Army, north and west of the German-held salient. Initially in the Army's reserve it was soon assigned to the 103rd Rifle Corps and took part in the fighting for Polotsk. As the offensive continued into the Baltic states the division briefly moved to 43rd Army during Operation Doppelkopf, but returned to 6th Guards until December when it was reassigned to 2nd Guards Army's 60th Rifle Corps in 3rd Belorussian Front, and it would remain under these commands for the duration. The offensive into East Prussia began on January 13, 1945 and 2nd Guards initially played a secondary role, but soon the 154th and its Corps was in the forefront of the advance on Königsberg and, in March, the elimination of the German forces southwest of that place, for which it was awarded the Order of Suvorov. It took part in the battle for the city in April, and ended the war clearing the Samland Peninsula. Following the German surrender it remained in this area until February 1946, when it was disbanded.