The division began forming around 20 November 1943, when Colonel
Vladimir Mityushin was appointed commander. It was part of the
Moscow Military District, and included the 205th, 402nd, 430th, and 442nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiments. From 2 February 1944, Lieutenant Colonel (promoted to colonel on 30 March)
Vladimir German served as division commander. of the type used by the division during World War II On 2 May, Colonel
Vasily Ivashenko took command of the division while it was reorganizing at the Moscow Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Camp; he would lead it for the rest of the war. In September the division was sent to the front as part of the
3rd Baltic Front's
1st Shock Army, fighting in the
Riga Offensive. On 16 October the army transferred to the
2nd Baltic Front. The division then fought in the blockade of the surrounded German
Army Group Courland in the
Courland Pocket. Between September 1944 and February 1945, with the 1st Shock Army, the division was credited with downing nine German aircraft. In support of ground troops, it was credited with destroying four tanks, suppressing the fire of four mortar batteries, destroying ten pillboxes, and three observation points, as well as killing 340 German soldiers. In February 1945 the 73rd was transferred to the
4th Shock Army, with which it served until the end of the war. From 1 April the army was part of the Courland Group of Forces of the
Leningrad Front. After the end of the war in Europe, the division was transferred to the Far East to fight in the
Soviet invasion of Manchuria. On 7 July it joined the
Far Eastern Front's
15th Army. In the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, as part of the
2nd Far Eastern Front, the division supported the army in the
Sungari Offensive. The 73rd covered the main group of the army in the crossing of the
Amur River and the advance to
Harbin. == Postwar ==