324th Division

324th Division. The 324th Rifle Division was a standard infantry formation of the Red Army during World War II, raised in the tumultuous autumn of 1941. It fought extensively on the Eastern Front, participating in several critical defensive and offensive operations from the defense of Moscow to the final advance into Central Europe. The division was officially disbanded in the summer of 1945 as part of the post-war demobilization of the Soviet armed forces.

History

The division was formed in August and September 1941 in the Moscow Military District, a period of extreme crisis following the German invasion. Its initial cadre was drawn from reservists and new conscripts, rapidly organized to bolster the defenses of the Soviet capital during the Battle of Moscow. By late 1941, it was committed to the front lines as part of the 10th Army under the Western Front. Following the Soviet counter-offensive, the division remained in active service, being reassigned to various armies and fronts throughout the war, including the Bryansk Front, 1st Belorussian Front, and 1st Ukrainian Front, reflecting its deployment across major strategic axes.

Organization

As a standard rifle division under the wartime establishment, its core structure comprised three rifle regiments: the 1091st, 1093rd, and 1095th Rifle Regiments. These were supported by the 893rd Artillery Regiment, which provided crucial firepower with a mix of 76mm guns and 122mm howitzers. Other integral subunits included a separate anti-tank battalion, a reconnaissance company, a sapper battalion, and signal, medical, and transport units. This organization was typical of Red Army divisions, though its actual strength and equipment levels fluctuated significantly due to combat losses and the logistical challenges of the Eastern Front.

Commanders

The division was led by several commanding officers during its existence. Its first commander was Colonel Ivan Kirillovich Kravchenko, who oversaw its formation and initial combat during the defense of Moscow. In 1942, command passed to Colonel, later Major General, Nikolai Fedorovich Lyakhov, who led the unit through the difficult fighting around Oryol and Bryansk. From 1944 until the war's end, the division was commanded by Colonel Pyotr Ivanovich Zyryanov, who directed its operations during the final offensives in Poland and Germany.

Campaigns and battles

The division's combat path began in the winter of 1941-42 during the Soviet counter-offensive west of Moscow. It subsequently participated in the bloody and largely unsuccessful offensives of the Rzhev-Vyazma operation in 1942. In the summer of 1943, it fought in the pivotal Battle of Kursk, specifically within the Oryol sector operation. Following the Soviet advance, it took part in the Lublin–Brest Offensive of 1944, crossing the Vistula River and helping to establish the Magnuszew bridgehead. Its final campaigns included the Vistula–Oder Offensive, the brutal fighting for the Poznań fortress, and the final push during the Battle of Berlin and the Prague Offensive.

Legacy and honors

For its service, the division received the honorific title "Yampolskaya" (after the town of Yampil) and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, a high military decoration. While not among the most famous Guards formations, its service record was representative of the many line rifle divisions that bore the brunt of the fighting on the Eastern Front. Following the German surrender, the division was stationed in Germany as part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany before being disbanded in July 1945, its personnel demobilized or transferred to other units.

Category:Military units and formations of the Soviet Union in World War II Category:Infantry divisions of the Soviet Union Category:Military units and formations established in 1941 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945