39th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The 39th Pacific Ocean Red Banner Rifle Division was an infantry
division
of the Soviet Union
's Red Army
, formed in 1922, which fought in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria against the Japanese in 1945, and became a motor rifle division in 1957. It later became a machine-gun artillery division, responsible for a fortified sector along the Soviet border with the People's Republic of China. It is now part of the Russian Ground Forces
.
Red Guard
units of the Far East as well.
The division fought the Chinese during the Sino-Soviet conflict (1929)
. The future Marshal of the Soviet Union
Konstantin Rokossovsky
was a regiment
al commander in the division in the 1930s.
In 1936, the division was renamed the Pacific Ocean Rifle Division (Тихоокеанская стрелковая дивизия), and was re-raised at Vladivostok
, FEMD, during 1937 as part of the reorganisation of the Soviet forces in the Far East. The division fought in the Battle of Lake Khasan
with the 39th Rifle Corps in August 1938. In 1939, it became the 39th 'Pacific Ocean' Rifle Division.
39th RD comprised the 50th, 199th, and 254th Rifle, 15th Artillery, and other smaller sub-units. The division was in the Far East in June 1941. The division was stationed at Tschekunda in the Far East with the 15th Army until April 1943, when it was transferred to the 1st Red Banner Army during August 1943. The division was with the 59th Rifle Corps, 1st Red Banner Army in the Transbaikal-Amur Military District in 1945. One of its post-war commanders was a Petrov (1957–60).
The division became the 129th Motor Rifle Division in 1957, and in 1965, it became the 129th Motor Rifle Training Division. By 1989, the division became the 135th Motor Rifle Division at Lesozavodsk
. Consisting of the 122nd Tank Regiment, 199th, 469th (Filino), and 472nd MRRs, elements of the division were deployed to support the border guard troops during the 1969 border skirmishes with Chinese troops.
On 9 March 1989, it became the 130th Machine-Gun Artillery Division. In 1998, amid severe army pay arrears, the division's servicemen apparently threatened to block the Trans-Siberian Railway with their tanks unless they were paid.
Today, the division is part of the 5th Army, Far Eastern Military District
, and consists of the 472nd Motor Rifle Regiment, a multiple rocket launcher regiment, three other regiments, plus an artillery regiment.
Its Honorifics are 'Pacific Ocean', Order of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, and Order of Kutuzov.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, formed in 1922, which fought in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria against the Japanese in 1945, and became a motor rifle division in 1957. It later became a machine-gun artillery division, responsible for a fortified sector along the Soviet border with the People's Republic of China. It is now part of the Russian Ground Forces
Russian Ground Forces
The Russian Ground Forces are the land forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. The formation of these forces posed economic challenges after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and required reforms to professionalize the force...
.
History
The division was originally formed on 20 July 1922, on the basis of the 104th Rifle Brigade, of the 35th Rifle Division, as the 1st Transbaikal Rifle Division, but traces its history to the earlier Russian Civil WarRussian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
Red Guard
Red Guards (Russia)
In the context of the history of Russia and Soviet Union, Red Guards were paramilitary formations consisting of workers and partially of soldiers and sailors formed in the time frame of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
units of the Far East as well.
The division fought the Chinese during the Sino-Soviet conflict (1929)
Sino-Soviet conflict (1929)
The Sino–Soviet conflict of 1929 was a minor armed conflict between the Soviet Union and Chinese warlord Zhang Xueliang of the Republic of China over the Manchurian Chinese Eastern Railway....
. The future Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
Konstantin Rokossovsky
Konstantin Rokossovsky
Konstantin Rokossovskiy was a Polish-origin Soviet career officer who was a Marshal of the Soviet Union, as well as Marshal of Poland and Polish Defence Minister, who was famously known for his service in the Eastern Front, where he received high esteem for his outstanding military skill...
was a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al commander in the division in the 1930s.
In 1936, the division was renamed the Pacific Ocean Rifle Division (Тихоокеанская стрелковая дивизия), and was re-raised at Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, FEMD, during 1937 as part of the reorganisation of the Soviet forces in the Far East. The division fought in the Battle of Lake Khasan
Battle of Lake Khasan
The Battle of Lake Khasan and also known as the Changkufeng Incident in China and Japan, was an attempted military incursion of Manchukuo into the territory claimed by the Soviet Union...
with the 39th Rifle Corps in August 1938. In 1939, it became the 39th 'Pacific Ocean' Rifle Division.
39th RD comprised the 50th, 199th, and 254th Rifle, 15th Artillery, and other smaller sub-units. The division was in the Far East in June 1941. The division was stationed at Tschekunda in the Far East with the 15th Army until April 1943, when it was transferred to the 1st Red Banner Army during August 1943. The division was with the 59th Rifle Corps, 1st Red Banner Army in the Transbaikal-Amur Military District in 1945. One of its post-war commanders was a Petrov (1957–60).
The division became the 129th Motor Rifle Division in 1957, and in 1965, it became the 129th Motor Rifle Training Division. By 1989, the division became the 135th Motor Rifle Division at Lesozavodsk
Lesozavodsk
Lesozavodsk is a town in Primorsky Krai, Russia, located on the Ussuri River , about north of Vladivostok. Population: 37,000...
. Consisting of the 122nd Tank Regiment, 199th, 469th (Filino), and 472nd MRRs, elements of the division were deployed to support the border guard troops during the 1969 border skirmishes with Chinese troops.
On 9 March 1989, it became the 130th Machine-Gun Artillery Division. In 1998, amid severe army pay arrears, the division's servicemen apparently threatened to block the Trans-Siberian Railway with their tanks unless they were paid.
Today, the division is part of the 5th Army, Far Eastern Military District
Far Eastern Military District
The Far Eastern Military District was a military district of the Russian Ground Forces. In 2010 it was merged with the Pacific Fleet and part of the Siberian Military District to form the new Eastern Military District....
, and consists of the 472nd Motor Rifle Regiment, a multiple rocket launcher regiment, three other regiments, plus an artillery regiment.
Its Honorifics are 'Pacific Ocean', Order of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, and Order of Kutuzov.
Sources and references
- Poirer & Connor, p. 278 (some information which is contradicted by later Russian sources removed)
- Lenskii 2001
- Feskov et al. 2004.
- http://www.rkka.ru/handbook/reg/39sd22.htm