62nd Guards Rifle Division

rdf:langString 62nd Guards Rifle Division

rdf:langString 62nd Guards Rifle Division

rdf:langString Budapest

rdf:langString Zvenigorodka

rdf:langString Col. Ivan Nikonovich Moshlyak 10px

rdf:langString Maj. Gen. Georgii Mikhailovich Zaitsev

rdf:langString Maj. Gen. Grigorii Filippovich Panchenko 10px

rdf:langString Infantry

rdf:langString Division

rdf:langString The 62nd Guards Rifle Division was formed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in January, 1943, based on the 2nd formation of the 127th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. The division was in the 6th Army of Southwestern Front on the day it was redesignated but was assigned to the 3rd Tank Army of Voronezh Front the following day. This force was badly damaged in Army Group South's counteroffensive south of Kharkov in March, 1943 and the division had to be withdrawn for a substantial rebuilding before being reassigned to the of 6th Army back in Southwestern Front. It saw little action before being withdrawn again to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command and moved to the 37th Army which joined Steppe Front in September, fighting towards the Dniepr River and playing a leading role in a successful crossing in the Soloshino to Mishurin Rog area. During the month-long battle for Cherkassy at the end of the year the division served in the 52nd Army. In January, 1944 the 62nd Guards was reassigned to the 4th Guards Army and remained under that command for most of the duration of the war. It was awarded a battle honor and soon after its first decoration for its part in the battles for the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket and within weeks also received the Order of the Red Banner after forcing a crossing of the Dniestr River. When the final offensive that drove Romania out of the Axis began the division was in the of 4th Guards Army, in 2nd Ukrainian Front. During the campaigns in Hungary in the winter of 1944-45 it took part in the encirclement of Budapest, helped fight off several Axis attempts to break the siege, and eventually received its name as a second honorific. The 62nd Guards picked up a third decoration advancing into northern Hungary and Austria and took part in the fighting for Vienna; despite this admirable record of service the division was disbanded in July, 1946.