| 70th Division (1949 – 55) 70th Infantry Division (1955 – 60) 70th Army Division (1960 – 66) 3rd Guard Division (1966 – present) | |
|---|---|
| 警卫第三师 | |
 PLA Emblem | |
| Active | February 1949 – present |
| Country |  People's Republic of China |
| Allegiance |  Chinese Communist Party |
| Branch |  People's Liberation Army Ground Force |
| Type | Motorized infantry |
| Role | Guard |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | Central Theater Command PLA Beijing Garrison |
| Garrison/HQ | Tongzhou District, Beijing |
| Nickname | Imperial Army (御林军) |
| Engagements | Chinese Civil War,Korean War |
The3rd Guard Division (Chinese:警卫第三师) was created in February 1949 underthe Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948,[1] basing on the 16th Division, 6th Column of the PLAHuadong Field Army. Its history can be traced to the 2nd Detachment ofNew Fourth Army, formed in February 1940.
The division, then as in today, is part of the24th Corps. Under the flag of 70th division it took part in several major battles in theChinese Civil War.
By then the division was composed of:
In September 1952, the division entered Korea as a part of thePeople's Volunteer Army. During its deployment to Korea the division took part in theBattle of Triangle Hill and theBattle of Kumsong, allegedly inflicting 9600 casualties on UN Forces.
In October 1955 the division pulled out from Korea and redeployed in the thenBeijing Military Region.
In April 1960 the division was re-organized into aMotorized Army Division. In April Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment was activated from the former 209th Regiment. On May 11, 1960, 275th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment was activated and attached to the division. In January 1961 the 209th Motorized Infantry Regiment was re-activated. By then the division was composed of:
In late October 1962 the division was further organized into aMechanized Army Division, becoming the second mechanized division of PLA ground force (the first one was1st Mechanized Division). A tank battalion is activated in each now mechanized infantry regiments.
As of late 1962, the division was composed of:
On June 15, 1966, the division was removed from the 24th Army Corps and was transferred to theBeijing Garrison and renamed as the3rd Guard Division(Chinese:警卫第3师). The 208th, 209th, and 210th Mechanized Infantry Regiments were renamed as the 7th, 8th, and 9th Guard Regiments, respectively. In August 1969 the 275th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment was renamed as the Tank Regiment, 3rd Guard Division, and the 350th Artillery Regiment was renamed as the Artillery Regiment, 3rd Guard Division.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the division was the only mechanized formation following190th Army Division's re-motorization, and the only unit possessing tank battalions for its infantry regiments.
Since December 31, 1974, the division became a "showcase" unit.
In January 1979, the 7th, 8th, and 9th Guard Regiments were renamed as the 11th, 12th, and 13th Guard Regiments, respectively.
The division participated in thecrackdown on the civil unrest and protests in Beijing in 1989.
In 1992, tank battalions of the guard regiments were disbanded.
In 1998 the 12th Guards Regiment was disbanded. The Tank Regiment was renamed as the Armored Regiment, 3rd Guard Division.
Today, as one of only 2 active divisions of the PLA Ground Forces within Beijing and one of the few remaining divisions in service, it is organized into:
The division is permanently garrisoned in Beijing and thus helps provide for its defense and security as the capital of the republic.
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