140th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

The 140th Rifle Division was first formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in August 1939 in the Kiev Military District, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13. The 140th might be regarded as the unluckiest division in the Army, as it, uniquely, had to be completely, or almost completely, re-formed three times between 1941 and 1943. In June 1941 the first formation was assigned to 6th Army in Southwestern Front and later Southern Front and was destroyed in the Uman pocket in early August during Operation Barbarossa, after fighting back nearly from the frontier.

A new 140th was created in late September by the redesignation of the 13th Moscow Militia (Opolcheniye) Division that had been formed in early July. Just after the start of Operation Typhoon in early October it was moved from Reserve Front to take up already compromised positions on the upper reaches of the Dniepr River, and while it fought valiantly over the following days it was soon encircled near Vyazma and only individuals and small groups were able to escape to friendly territory.

A third 140th began forming in the Moscow Military District in late December, just days after the 2nd formation was written off. This process took several months before it began moving south by rail to join 24th Army in Southern Front in May 1942, and then 9th Army in Southwestern Front. It arrived just as the German summer offensive was kicking off. 9th Army had been badly beaten up in fighting near Izium in May and June and, even with fresh reinforcements stood little chance against a full-blown panzer offensive on the Caucasian steppes. With much of the rest of the Army the 140th was encircled near Millerovo in late July and largely destroyed, being disbanded in August.

The final formation of the 140th was based on a division recruited from NKVD personnel at Novosibirsk in the Siberian Military District in October 1942. In February 1943 it was one of six such divisions that came under Red Army control as part of the new 70th Army, which was soon assigned to the reformed Central Front. During February and March, after concentrating near Kursk, it pushed toward Oryol, but this objective was not reached, in part due to ineffective Army leadership. It remained in this area through the spring and early summer, preparing for the German offensive that began in July, and played a key role in defeating one of the last armored drives of German 9th Army. Following this it participated in the defeat of the German Oryol grouping before advancing through eastern Ukraine as part of 65th Army in September, winning a battle honor in the process. It made important gains in the Gomel area during October and November before moving to reserve for rebuilding and replenishment, and then was transferred to 13th Army of 1st Ukrainian Front in December, soon being awarded the first of two Orders of the Red Banner. During the spring campaign in northwestern Ukraine it won a second Red Banner, and then, as a result of the fighting for Lviv in July it received a rare Order of Lenin, while its regiments were also decorated. It was now part of 38th Army, where it would remain for the duration of the war. This Army was transferred to 4th Ukrainian Front for the duration in November, and the 140th fought through the Carpathian Mountains during the winter of 1944/45. During this campaign in the south of Poland and Czechoslovakia it was further decorated with the Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov, with many of its subunits also receiving awards. It ended the war as one of the most honored divisions in the Red Army. Despite this it was moved to western Ukraine in early 1946 and disbanded later that year.