137th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

The 137th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in early September 1939 in the Moscow Military District, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13. At the start of the German invasion on June 22, 1941 it was still in that District under 20th Army and soon began moving by rail west toward Orsha where it was resubordinated to 13th Army of Western Front. By late August, much depleted after escaping encirclement, it was again moved, now to 3rd Army of Bryansk Front, defending near Trubchevsk. During Operation Typhoon it was deeply encircled but enough of a cadre was eventually able to escape that it was not disbanded, taking up positions east of Oryol. The division spent 1942 on this relative quiet front, gradually rebuilding, before taking part in the offensive that retook Kastornoye in January, 1943, after which it was transferred to 48th Army, where it remained for the duration of the war. Along with this Army it advanced toward Kursk and Oryol during February and March before being halted by German reinforcements and the spring thaw, setting the stage for the Battle of Kursk in July. 48th Army, now in Central Front, saw little direct action in this battle, but soon joined the Soviet offensive that finally took Oryol in early August. Following this victory the 137th advanced with its Army through eastern Ukraine into southeast Belarus, where it took part in battles in the waterlogged region of Gomel, Rechytsa, and Parychy through the winter of 1943-44. During the summer offensive in Belarus the division took part in the elimination of a large pocket of German 9th Army forces southeast of Babruysk, then the clearing of the city itself, and received its name as a battle honor. It then advanced through western Belarus toward Poland, helping to force crossings of the Narew River before the campaign ground to a halt. Prior to the start of the 1945 winter offensive the division was transferred with 48th Army to 2nd Belorussian Front, and fought through East Prussia to the Frisches Haff, helping to isolate the German forces around Königsberg, winning the Order of Suvorov in the process. During February and March, serving now under 3rd Belorussian Front, 48th Army was engaged in eliminating the pocket of German forces trapped southwest of that city, and two of the 137th's regiments were also decorated for this service. This was rather meagre recognition, a fact not lost on the division's personnel. However, they were soon homeward bound, and the division was disbanded at the end of August.