62nd Aviation Division long-range The division was originally formed as the 62nd Aviation Division long-range order on the basis of a
State Defence Committee Order of March 5, 1942, and Long-Range Aviation Commander Lieutenant General Aviation Golovanov on 6 March 1942. The division was formed at the air base
Dyagilevo near the Ryazan-based
22nd Air Division. The regiments of the newly created military units were equipped with
TB-3 heavy bombers. By mid-April 1942 formed the division relocated to the outskirts of Moscow airports
Monino and
Noginsk. At that time the division was part of the
6th Air Corps Long-Range. The first flights were completed April 16, 1942, in
North-Western Front Western Crimean and
Voronezh fronts. The main task was to deliver cargo troops. Crews regiments of the division involved in the supply of the Red Army had kept the Germans in the
Demyansk pocket. During the second half of April was carried out 324 sorties, dropped 323 tons of cargo. Cargoes discharged without parachutes from an altitude of 100 – 400 m. In April, the division suffered the first losses - some TB-3 was shot down by night fighters. In September 1942, regiments of the division were rearmed with
Li-2 aircraft, which were used as bombers. From September 1942 to February 1943 the regiments of the divisions were based on the ground at Michurinsky and worked for
Stalingrad and
Don Fronts. Completed the division of war in the skies over
Berlin and
Swinemünde. The last raid was made on Swinoujscie May 2, 1945.
9th Guards Aviation Division Long Range For showing courage in fighting for their homeland against the German invaders, with persistence, discipline and organization, for heroism, the order of
People's Commissariat of Defense (NKO) under the number 274 of September 18, 1943, the division was awarded the title of Guards. It became known as the 9th Guards Aviation Division Long-range, and 18 September, has since become an annual day of celebration Division. Later, the order of the NKO USSR May 27, 1944, to commemorate the victories in participating in the battles for the liberation of Donbass, the division was given the honorary name of Donbass.
22nd Guards Bomber Aviation Division Donbass In connection with the transformation of
Long Range Aviation into the
18th Air Army and the dissolution of
6th Long-Range Aviation Corps, the Division from December 22, 1944, joined the
3rd Guards Bomber Aviation Corps. In accordance with a Directive of General Staff of the number Org/10/315706 December 26, 1944, the division was renamed the 22nd Guards Donbass Bomber Division. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for its exemplary fulfillment of the command in the battles against the German invaders in the capture of the German capital - of Berlin, and displaying courage and heroism, the division was awarded the
Order of Red Banner. During the war, the crews of the division completed 14,965 sorties, dropping 14,178 tons of bombs destroyed 59 crossings, 10 g / d of nodes, destroyed 38 g / d trains, 30 aircraft on the ground, blown up 43 warehouses with ammunition and fuel. For excellent military operations during World War II, the division was honored with the Supreme Commander's gratitude 13 times.
Composition during World War II == Cold War History ==