| 12th Guards Airborne Division (December 1943 – 18 December 1944) 105th Guards Rifle Division (18 December 1944 – 7 June 1946) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943–1979; 1990–1994 |
| Country |  Soviet Union (until 1992) Uzbekistan (1992–1994) |
| Branch | Soviet Army Uzbek Ground Forces |
| Type | Airborne forces |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Decorations |  Order of the Red Banner |
| Battle honours | Vienna |
The105th Guards Airborne Division (Russian:105-я гвардейская воздушно-десантная Венская дивизия) was an airborne forces division unit of theSoviet Airborne Troops.
The division was originally formed as the 12th Guards Airborne Division as part of the38th Guards Airborne Corps in December 1943.[1] In December 1944, it became the 105th Guards Rifle Division of the9th Guards Army. On 7 June 1946, the 105th Guards Airborne division was formed from the 105th Guards Rifle Division. Disbanded in 1979, the division was reactivated in 1990. It was taken over by Uzbekistan in 1992, while still not yet fully formed.[2] The division was dissolved in 1994 and became the 17th Air Assault Brigade.
The 12th Guards Airborne Division was formed on 23 December 1943 from three Guards Airborne Brigades as part of the38th Guards Airborne Corps.[3] However, some Soviet accounts state that it began formation months later in March 1944.[4][5] The division's first commander wasMikhail Denisenko, who had commanded the 202nd Airborne Brigade before the war.[5] It was held in reserve inBelarus until December 1944.[4] On 18 December 1944, it became the 105th Guards Rifle Division inMaryina Horka.[6] On 5 January 1945, it was assigned to the38th Guards Rifle Corps. From 21 January to 20 February, it was transported toSzolnok, where the corps became part of the9th Guards Army. On 30 March, the division crossed theRába.[6] The division advanced into Austria and capturedPressbaum on 6 April. During theVienna Offensive, the 105th Guards blocked the Vienna-Linz road, cutting Vienna off from German reinforcements and allowing other Soviet troops to capture the city.[7] Along with other units, the division caused severe losses among the3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, the2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, and the Hungarian 2nd Armored Division and 9th Infantry Division of theThird Army.[7] On 26 April, the division was awarded theOrder of the Red Banner. On 5 May, the division marched intoCzechoslovakia and capturedZnojmo on 9 May. On 12 May, the division met American troops on theVltava near the village of Tsisek.[7]
The division was awarded the title "Vienna" on 17 May. From 7 June to 5 July, the division was transported east to points northeast ofBudapest, where it became part of theCentral Group of Forces. From 16 January 1946 to 16 February, the division was redeployed toTeykovo in theIvanovo Oblast. On 7 June, it was renamed as the 105th Guards Airborne Division.[2] In 1960, the division, without the 331st Guards Airborne Regiment, was relocated toFergana in theTurkestan Military District.[8] The 351st Guards Airborne Regiment was added to the division from the106th Guards Airborne Division.[2]
In accordance with a directive of theGeneral Staff, from August 3, 1979, to December 1, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Division was disbanded.[2] From the division remained in the city ofFergana the345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment (much stronger than the usual regimental size) with the separate 115th military-transport aviation squadron. The rest of the personnel of the division were reassigned to fill out other incomplete airborne units and formations and to the newly formed air assault brigades. Based on the division's 351st Guards Parachute Regiment, the56th Guards Air Assault Brigade was formed in Azadbash,Chirchik district,Tashkent Oblast,Uzbek SSR. Meanwhile, the 111th Guards Parachute Regiment became the35th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade.[2]
In 1990, the division was again reactivated, but it was not complete on thebreakup of the Soviet Union. In connection with the transition of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan to a brigade structure by 1994, the management of the 105th division was reorganized under the 2nd Army Corps of theArmed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan.[9] On the basis of the 387th Regiment, the 4th Airborne Brigade was formed. Later, the brigade became the 17th Air Assault Brigade of theUzbekistan Ground Forces.[10][11][12]
The unit took part in theAndijan massacre, being led by ColonelPavel Ergashev.[13][14]
 Divisions of the Soviet Union 1945–1957 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airborne | |||||||||
| Artillery |
| ||||||||
| Cavalry | |||||||||
| Rifle |
| ||||||||
| Mechanised |
| ||||||||
| Tank | |||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
Guards units marked inbold. | |||||||||