| 180th Rifle Division 180th Motor Rifle Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1989 |
| Country |  Soviet Union |
| Branch | Soviet Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Motorized Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky (2nd formation) |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Decorations |  Order of the Red Banner (2nd formation)
 Order of Kutuzov 2nd class (2nd formation) |
| Battle honours | Kiev (2nd formation) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Serafim Merkulov |
The180th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the SovietRed Army, formed thrice.
The division was first formed in September 1939 but this unit was disbanded a few months later. It was reformed in August 1940 from Estonian personnel after the Soviet occupation of that country. The first wartime formation of the division became the28th Guards Rifle Division in May 1942. The second wartime formation was formed in June 1942, and served through the rest of the war.
The division briefly became the 14th Rifle Division in 1955, then 88th Motor Rifle Division 1957, but became 180th Kiev Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Motor Rifle Division in 1965 and remained under that title until the 1990s.[1] After 1992 became Ukrainian 27th Mechanized Brigade. The 27th Mechanized Brigade was disbanded, most likely in the early 2000s.
The 180th Rifle Division was formed in September 1939 by the expansion of a regiment of the6th Rifle Division in theOryol Military District, but was disbanded in January 1940.[2][3]
The 180th Rifle Division was formed again during August and September 1940 in theBaltic Special Military District. It was part of the22nd Territorial Rifle Corps (Estonian) and was composed of Estonian People's Force personnel. It was commanded by Major GeneralRichard Tomberg, the former commander of theEstonian Air Force.[4] On 3 June 1941, Major General Ivan Missan replaced Tomberg in command.[5] On 22 June 1941, it was based inVõru, which was in the rear area. While moving forward, it was attacked by German aircraft. The division entered combat on 26 June against theLVI Panzer Corps, which was attacking the27th Army in theDaugava region. On 9 July, the division and its parent formation, the22nd Rifle Corps, were transferred from the 27th Army to the11th Army. It fought in defensive battles, making counterattacks inSoltsy,Porkhov andNovorzhev. In August it had retreated back to theStaraya Russa area. In September 1941, the division fought in theDemyansk Defensive Operation. It then fought in theDemyansk Pocket in early 1942. On 3 May 1942, the division became the28th Guards Rifle Division for its actions.[6]
The second formation of the division was created atCherepovets in June 1942 from the 41st Rifle Brigade.[7] It fought atKiev,Târgu Frumos, andBudapest.[8] The division was part of the53rd Army of the2nd Ukrainian Front in May 1945. During the war, the division was awarded the honorific Kiev for its actions during the 1943 capture of Kiev. It was awarded theOrder of the Red Banner, theOrder of Suvorov 2nd class and theOrder of Kutuzov 2nd class.
In 1955, it became the14th Rifle Division.[9] On 17 May 1957, the 88th Motor Rifle Division was activated from the 14th Rifle Division inBilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, part of the14th Guards Army.[10] On 19 February 1962, the 276th Separate Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated along with the 244th Separate Missile Battalion.[1]
On 17 November 1964, the 88th Motor Rifle Division became the 180th Motor Rifle Division, restoring its World War II numbering. In 1967, the 14th Army became the14th Guards Army. On 15 November 1972, the 1303rd Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion was activated along with a separate Reactive Artillery Battalion. In 1980, the Separate Motor Transport Battalion became the 1041st Separate Material Supply Battalion. During the same year, the 136th Artillery Regiment absorbed the reactive artillery battalion. During the Cold War, the division was maintained at 16% strength. On 1 December 1989, the division was ordered to become the 5775th Weapons and Equipment Storage Base, but this was appears to have been delayed to at least 1991. In 1990, CFE treaty data showed the division had 61T-64 tanks, 13T-54 tanks and 12BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers, among other equipment. In January 1992, the storage base was taken over by Ukraine.[1]
It became the 27th Separate Mechanized Brigade and was subordinated to the1st Airmobile Division. The brigade was disbanded in 2004.[11]
The 180th Rifle Division's first formation included the following units.
| The 180th Motor Rifle Division's second formation was composed of the following units.
| The 180th Motor Rifle Division was composed of the following units in 1988.
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 Divisions of the Soviet Union 1945–1957 | |||||||||
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| Artillery |
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| Rifle |
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| Mechanised |
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Guards units marked inbold. | |||||||||
