| 5th Guards Rifle Division(1941–1957) 5th Guards Motor Rifle Division(1957–1959) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1959 |
| Country |  Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army /Soviet Army |
| Type | Motorized infantry, infantry |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | |
| Battle honours | Gorodok |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Pavel Mironov |
The5th Guards Rifle Division was an infantry division of theRed Army inWorld War II. It fought at Kaluga, Orel, Moscow, Bryansk, Gorodok, and in Belorussia, East Prussia, and Kurland.
The107th Rifle Division was reorganized into aGuards unit designated the 5th Guards Rifle Division on 26 September 1941, in recognition of its performance during theYelnya offensive. The division included the 12th, 17th and 21st Guards Rifle Regiments, the 24th Guards Artillery Regiment and smaller support units. 107th Rifle Division commander ColonelPavel Mironov continued to command the 5th Guards.[1]
The division was withdrawn to re-form in thereserve of theWestern Front in the area ofVyshny Volochyok.
As part of the49th Army of the Western Front, the division participated in thedefensive battles near Moscow. The division operated successfully in the defensive operations and during the subsequent Soviet counteroffensive during the winter of 1941–1942.[1]
The division was part of the "operational army" in the following periods: 26/09/1941 - 22/04/1944, 28/05/1944 - 09/05/1945.
On 4 October 1941 in the region ofMtsensk and, in the area ofBryansk Front, aStavka order hastily concentrated reserve units, from which the1st Guards Special Rifle Corps was formed, which the division joined. However, due to the worsening of the situation on the Western Front, the same day the division was reassigned to the49th Army and its trains directed viaGorbachev toSukhinichi. On 5 October the division began to advance to theMedyn area to attack in theYukhnov area as well.
By 1 November 1941, the division was with 49th Army, alongside7th Guards Rifle Division and60th Rifle Division.[2]
In conjunction with the19th Rifle Brigade, the division took part in the liberation ofTarusa on 19 December 1941 andKondrovo on 19 January 1942, as well as assisting in the liberation ofYukhnov on 5 March. For the heroism shown by its personnel in the battle near Moscow, the division was awarded theOrder of the Red Banner on 3 May. From May 1942 to June 1943 the division was part of the reserve of the Western Front, and the front's33rd and16th Armies. In July 1943 the division transferred to the11th Guards Army, with which it operated until the end of the war. During July and August the division took part in theOrel offensive. In September it took part in theBryansk offensive. In December it took part in theGorodok offensive. For distinction in battles for the capture ofGorodok, an important fortified point of the German defenses in the Vitebsk sector, the division received the name of Gorodok as an honorific on 24 December 1943.[1]
During theMinsk offensive, enabling the breakthrough of the German defenses in theOrsha sector, the 5th Guards Rifle Division rapidly developed the offensive, forcing a crossing of theBerezina and in conjunction with other units liberatedBorisov on 1 July 1944. For its successful performance in the operation, the division was awarded theOrder of Suvorov, 2nd class, on 10 July. By 14 July elements of the division reached theNeman, forced a crossing of the river and established a bridgehead. In October the 5th Guards took part in the breakthrough of German fortified defenses in theGumbinnen operation. During theEast Prussian offensive, the division broke through the deeply echeloned German defenses and took part in theBattle of Königsberg, receiving theOrder of Lenin in recognition of its performance on 17 May 1945. The division ended the war in theSamland offensive and taking ofPillau.[1]
During the war, 24,000 soldiers of the division were decorated, and eighteen received the titleHero of the Soviet Union. It ended the war with the full designation 5th Guards Rifle Gorodok Order of Lenin Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division.[1]
With11th Guards Army of the3rd Belorussian Front May 1945. Became 5th Guards Motor Rifle Division in May 1957 (Military Unit Number 08618);[1] disbanded in 1959 atGvardeysk.[3]
The following officers commanded the division:[4]
 Divisions of the Soviet Union 1945–1957 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airborne | |||||||||
| Artillery |
| ||||||||
| Cavalry | |||||||||
| Rifle |
| ||||||||
| Mechanised |
| ||||||||
| Tank | |||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
Guards units marked inbold. | |||||||||
| Divisions of the Soviet Union 1957–1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airborne | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Artillery | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aviation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motor Rifle |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tank | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Guards units marked inbold unless they are in a Guards section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
