355th Rifle Division
Soviet Army unit in WWII / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 355th Rifle Division (Russian: 355-я стрелковая дивизия) was a standard Red Army rifle division of World War II, formed twice.
355th Rifle Division (August 1941 – July 21, 1942) (December 10, 1944–1948) | |
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Active |
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Country | Soviet Union |
Branch | Red Army |
Type | Division |
Role | Infantry |
Engagements | Battles of Rzhev Operation Seydlitz Soviet invasion of Manchuria Invasion of the Kuril Islands Proposed Soviet invasion of Hokkaido |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Col. Andrei Yegarovich Khodunovich Kombrig Afanasii Nikolaievich Ryzhkov Col. Grigorii Mikhailovich Mirsonov Col. Sergei Grigorevich Abakumov |
The division's first formation began forming in August 1941 in the Kirov Oblast. During the winter counteroffensive in the Moscow region it was committed to the Toropets salient in January 1942, and fought as part of Kalinin Front's efforts from the west to encircle and destroy much of German Army Group Center in the Rzhev salient. In the event this proved unsuccessful, and during the spring and early summer these Soviet forces were first contained, and then encircled and destroyed, and the division was officially disbanded due to excessive losses.
After an absence of nearly two and a half years from the Red Army order of battle, a new 355th was formed near the end of 1944 in the far east of the USSR, where it served for the duration of the war. During the Soviet invasion of Manchuria it captured the Korean city of Chongjin by amphibious assault, but this was not sufficient to win any distinctions, leaving the division with one of the shortest and least distinguished service records of any Soviet unit.