341st Rifle Division (September 1, 1941 – May 19, 1942) 341st Rifle Division (May 1, 1944 – 1955) 54th Rifle Division (March 1955 - June 4, 1957) 54th Motor Rifle Division (June 4, 1957 - 1997) 62nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (1997 - 1998) 35th Weapons and Equipment Storage Base (1998 - 2007) (Disbanded) | |
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Active | 1941–2007 |
Country | Soviet Union Russia |
Branch | Red Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Engagements | Barvenkovo–Lozovaya Offensive Operation Second Battle of Kharkov Continuation War Lapland War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Col. Aleksandr Ilich Shchagin Col. Ivan Vasilievich Obydenkin Col. Ignatii Alekseevich Moskalev Maj. Gen. Ivan Vasilievich Terentev |
The 341st Rifle Division was first formed in September 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, at Stalingrad. It was a "sister" unit to the 335th Rifle Division, which was formed at about the same time and place and shared a very similar combat path in its first formation. It was assigned to the southern sector of the Soviet-German front during the winter counteroffensive, but was effectively destroyed during the German spring offensive that formed the Izium Pocket, and was soon disbanded. The division was formed again almost exactly two years later, this time in the Karelian Front, facing Finland, and saw only limited action in the Continuation War before being assigned to coastal defense duties during 1945. The 341st Rifle Division continued to serve well into the Cold War, eventually being re-designated and becoming a motorized rifle division.