Explore Netherlands

The Soviet 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division or 39-ya Gvardeyskaya Motostrelkovaya Diviziya was originally formed as the Soviet 5th Airborne Corps on March 1st, 1941. But on August 17th, 1942, the corps was reorganized as the Soviet 39th Guards Rifle Division as part of the Soviet 62nd Army and was assigned to the defense of Stalingrad. By September 30th, the division could only muster roughly half of its original strength as it was assigned to defend the Red October Steel Plant before being relieved on February 2nd, 1943, the same day that the Battle of Stalingrad was declared over. The 39th Guards Rifle Division, along with what was left of the Soviet 62nd Army, were placed in reserve and the latter reorganized as the Soviet 8th Guards Army on May 5th, 1943, in honor of their heroic defense of Stalingrad. This was in accordance with a directive from the Stavka of the Supreme High Command that was dated earlier on April 16th. The 39th Guards Rifle Division later took part in many