180th Rifle Division

The 180th Rifle Division was formed in September 1939 by the expansion of a regiment of the 6th Rifle Division in the Oryol Military District, but was disbanded in January 1940. The 180th Rifle Division was formed again during August and September 1940 in the Baltic Special Military District. It was part of the 22nd Territorial Rifle Corps (Estonian) and was composed of Estonian People's Force personnel. It was commanded by Major General Richard Tomberg, the former commander of the Estonian Air Force. On 3 June 1941, Major General Ivan Missan replaced Tomberg in command. On 22 June 1941, it was based in Võru, which was in the rear area. While moving forward, it was attacked by German aircraft. The division entered combat on 26 June against the LVI Panzer Corps, which was attacking the 27th Army in the Daugava region. On 9 July, the division and its parent formation, the 22nd Rifle Corps, were transferred from the 27th Army to the 11th Army. It fought in defensive battles, making counterattacks in Soltsy, Porkhov and Novorzhev. In August it had retreated back to the Staraya Russa area. In September 1941, the division fought in the Demyansk Defensive Operation. It then fought in the Demyansk Pocket in early 1942. On 3 May 1942, the division became the 28th Guards Rifle Division for its actions. ==Second formation==

The second formation of the division was created at Cherepovets in June 1942 from the 41st Rifle Brigade. It fought at Kiev, Târgu Frumos, and Budapest. The division was part of the 53rd Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front in May 1945. During the war, the division was awarded the honorific Kiev for its actions during the 1943 capture of Kiev. It was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 2nd class and the Order of Kutuzov 2nd class. == Postwar ==

In 1955, it became the 14th Rifle Division. On 17 May 1957, the 88th Motor Rifle Division was activated from the 14th Rifle Division in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, part of the 14th Guards Army. On 19 February 1962, the 276th Separate Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated along with the 244th Separate Missile Battalion. It became the 27th Separate Mechanized Brigade and was subordinated to the 1st Airmobile Division. The brigade was disbanded in 2004. == Composition ==

The 180th Rifle Division's first formation included the following units. :21st Rifle Regiment :42nd Rifle Regiment :86th Rifle Regiment :627th Artillery Regiment :629th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (to 4 October 1941) :15th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion :150th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (later 321st Separate Anti-Aircraft Battery) :90th Reconnaissance Company (later 90th Reconnaissance Battalion) :33rd Sapper Battalion :137th Separate Communications Battalion :9th Medical Battalion :182nd Separate Chemical Defence Company :383rd Road Transport Battalion (later 383rd Trucking Company) :440th Field Bakery :446th Divisional Veterinary Hospital :787th Field Post Office :467th Field Ticket Office of the State Bank The 180th Motor Rifle Division's second formation was composed of the following units. :21st Rifle Regiment :42nd Rifle Regiment :86th Rifle Regiment :627th Artillery Regiment :15th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion :250th Machine-Gun Battalion (to 10 June 1943) :90th Intelligence Company :33rd Sapper Battalion :866 Separate Communications Battalion (formerly 157th Separate Communications Battalion, 179th Separate Communications Company) :9th Medical Battalion :182nd Separate Chemical Defence Company :28th Road Transport Company :140th Field Baker :46th Divisional Veterinary Hospital :1595th Field Post Office :1643rd Field Ticket Office of the State Bank The 180th Motor Rifle Division was composed of the following units in 1988. :42nd Motor Rifle Regiment :325th Motor Rifle Regiment :326th Motor Rifle Regiment :166th Tank Regiment :136th Artillery Regiment :134th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment :244th Separate Missile Battalion :1303rd Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion :104th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion :33rd Separate Engineer-Sapper Battalion :866th Separate Communications Battalion :Separate Chemical Defence Company :276th Separate Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion :Separate Medical Battalion :1041st Separate Material Supply Battalion ==References==