319th Rifle Division | |
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Active | 1941–1946 |
Country | Soviet Union |
Branch | Red Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Engagements | Battle of the Caucasus Baltic Offensive Riga Offensive Vistula-Oder Offensive Battle of Königsberg |
Decorations | Order of the Red Banner (3rd formation) |
Battle honours | Dvinsk (3rd formation) |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Col. Fyodor Andreevich Volkov Kombrig Semyon Monakhov Col. Nikolai Matveevich Uralsky Col. Dmitry Arsentievich Dulov |
The 319th Rifle Division was first formed in December 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, in the Moscow Military District, but after a month was redesignated as the 2nd formation of a pre-war division that had been destroyed and disbanded. Another 319th was formed in the summer of 1942 in the North Caucasus Military District while the German offensive was threatening the Soviet oilfields near Baku. This formation had a short and undistinguished career, seeing little combat, and was disbanded in December. A third and final 319th was formed in the autumn of 1943 in the northern part of the front. This unit gave very creditable service for the duration of the war, distinguishing itself in the fighting through the Baltic states, and completing its combat path in East Prussia. It continued to serve briefly into the postwar period.