Turkish Third Army
Encyclopedia
The Turkish Third Army is a field army
of the Turkish Army
and is the country's largest army.
In the days of the Soviet Union
the Third Army was stationed on the Caucasus
border to counter any Soviet attack by the Transcaucasus Military District. When the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union broke up the General Staff decided to send 120,000 men of the Third Army to the border with Iraq
. This was done in order to increase readiness against any possible crisis in the area (such as during Persian Gulf War
and Iraqi War), most of the armored, mechanized, and commando brigades are located in the central region in order to act rapidly into any scenario around Turkey's borders. http://www.allaboutturkey.com/army.htm
In 1973 the Army, with headquarters at Erzincan
, had the VIII Corps at Elazig
(including the 12th Infantry Division, today 12th Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Agri
), the IX Corps at Erzurum
(including 9th Infantry Division at Sarikamis
(which was active to at least 1996), and the XI Corps at Trabzon
. XI Corps has now been moved to North Cyprus.
Today the Army patrols the borders with Armenia
and Georgia
. Some 300 men from the Third Army were sent alongside the United Nations
troops in Somalia
.
A Russian source in 2007 gave the following details on the army:
'..the 3rd Field Army, consist[s] of 8th and 9th Army Corps, 48th Separate Infantry Brigade , 4th Separate Armoured Brigade.
'..9th Army Corps, which has in its composition: the 3rd infantry division, 7th, 14th, 25th separate mechanized brigade, separate mechanized infantry battalion, a separate tank battalion, deployed in the area Argadan, Kagysman, Erzurum, along the Turkish-Georgian and Armenian-Turkish border. 8th Army Corps has in its composition: 10th separate infantry brigade, 1st, 12th (Agri
), 34th, 42nd Mechanized Brigades, 9th Separate Armored Brigade and 151st Artillery Regiment IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard), located along the Turkish-Iranian border.'
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
of the Turkish Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
and is the country's largest army.
In the days 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....
the Third Army was stationed on the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
border to counter any Soviet attack by the Transcaucasus Military District. When the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union broke up the General Staff decided to send 120,000 men of the Third Army to the border with Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. This was done in order to increase readiness against any possible crisis in the area (such as during Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and Iraqi War), most of the armored, mechanized, and commando brigades are located in the central region in order to act rapidly into any scenario around Turkey's borders. http://www.allaboutturkey.com/army.htm
In 1973 the Army, with headquarters at Erzincan
Erzincan
-Trivia:Erzincan has the largest man made of Portrait of Atatürk, located north of the city, 176m×43m. It covers 7,500 square meter. Turkish Army made it 1982, in 29 days by 3,000 soldier, 100 tons of black and white paint was used...
, had the VIII Corps at Elazig
Elazig
Elâzığ is a city in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey and the seat of Elâzığ Province. It has a population of331,479 according to the 2010 census, and the plain on which the city extends has an altitude of 1067 metres....
(including the 12th Infantry Division, today 12th Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Agri
Agri
Agri may refer to:* As shorthand or prefix referring to agriculture* Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development * Azerbaijan–Georgia–Romania Interconnector * Ağrı, a city in eastern Turkey* the Agri in southern Italy...
), the IX Corps at Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
(including 9th Infantry Division at Sarikamis
Sarikamis
Sarıkamış is a town and a district of Kars Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The population is 17,860 as of 2010.The town sits in a valley and is surrounded by mountains, many of which are covered with pine forests. It has very long winters, with average of 7–8 ft of...
(which was active to at least 1996), and the XI Corps at Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
. XI Corps has now been moved to North Cyprus.
Today the Army patrols the borders with Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. Some 300 men from the Third Army were sent alongside the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
troops in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
A Russian source in 2007 gave the following details on the army:
'..the 3rd Field Army, consist[s] of 8th and 9th Army Corps, 48th Separate Infantry Brigade , 4th Separate Armoured Brigade.
'..9th Army Corps, which has in its composition: the 3rd infantry division, 7th, 14th, 25th separate mechanized brigade, separate mechanized infantry battalion, a separate tank battalion, deployed in the area Argadan, Kagysman, Erzurum, along the Turkish-Georgian and Armenian-Turkish border. 8th Army Corps has in its composition: 10th separate infantry brigade, 1st, 12th (Agri
Agri
Agri may refer to:* As shorthand or prefix referring to agriculture* Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development * Azerbaijan–Georgia–Romania Interconnector * Ağrı, a city in eastern Turkey* the Agri in southern Italy...
), 34th, 42nd Mechanized Brigades, 9th Separate Armored Brigade and 151st Artillery Regiment IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard), located along the Turkish-Iranian border.'
Order of Battle, 1941
In June 1941, the Third Army was organized as follows:- Eastern Area
- IX Corps (SarıkamışSarıkamışSarıkamış is a town and a district of Kars Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The population is 17,860 as of 2010.The town sits in a valley and is surrounded by mountains, many of which are covered with pine forests. It has very long winters, with average of 7–8 ft of...
) - Erzurum Fortified Area Command
- VIII Corps (MerzifonMerzifonMerzifon is a town and district in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It covers an area of 970 km², and the population is 69,237 of which 52,947 live in the town of Merzifon, the remainder spread throughout the surrounding countryside...
) - VII Corps (DiyarbakırDiyarbakırDiyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
) - XVIII Corps (KarsKarsKars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
) - Kars Fortified Area Command
- IX Corps (Sarıkamış