Military unit
The 114th Guards Airborne Division was a Red Army airborne division. It was first formed as the 14th Guards Airborne Division.[ 1] In December 1944, it was converted to the 114th Guards Rifle Division and became an airborne unit again in June 1946.[ 2]
History
In September 1944, the second formation of the 14th Guards Airborne Division was created from the 202nd Airborne Brigade [ 3] in the Moscow Military District , part of the 39th Guards Airborne Corps .[ 4] On 25 December, it was converted to infantry and became the 114th Guards Rifle Division.[ 5] Its first commander was Vasily Polikarpovich Ivanov .[ 6]
On 10 January 1945, the 39th Guards Rifle Corps was transferred to Hungary .[ 7] During Operation Spring Awakening , the division created defensive positions on the eastern bank of the Danube from Dunavecse to Ráckeve . On 23 March, the division captured Pápa , for which it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner . It was on the Austrian border by 1 April and captured Zillingdorf . The division attacked on the corps' right flank during the Vienna Offensive . After the capture of Vienna, the division fought in the Prague Offensive .[ 7]
After the end of World War II , the division returned to the Belorussian Military District . From 15 June to 1 July 1946, the division was converted into the 114th Guards Airborne Division at Borovukha in Vitebsk Oblast . In October 1948, it became part of the 8th Guards Airborne Corps . On 4 April 1956, the division was disbanded. The 350th Guards Airborne Regiment and the 357th Guards Airborne Regiment became part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division .[ 2]
Composition
The 114th Guards Rifle Division was composed of the following units:[ 6] [ 5]
350th Guards Rifle Regiment
353rd Guards Rifle Regiment
357th Guards Rifle Regiment
404th Guards Artillery Regiment
References