6th Guards Kievsko-Berlinskaya order of Lenin Red Banner order of Suvorov and Bogdan Khmelnitskiy Tank Division

6-я гвардейская танковая Киевско-Берлинская ордена Ленина Краснознамённая орденов Суворова и Богдана Хмельницкого дивизия

Military Unit: 36231; from 3.47: 60745; from 4.80: 05733

Activated 10.7.45 in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, from the 6th Guards Tank Corps.

Organisation 1946:

• 51st Guards Tank Regiment
• 52nd Guards Tank Regiment
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment
• 22nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment
• 78th Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment
• 272nd Guards Mortar Regiment
• 286th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
• 000 independent Howitzer Artillery Battalion
• 439th independent Guards Mortar Battalion
• 3rd independent Guards Motorcycle Battalion
• 120th independent Guards Sapper Battalion
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion
• 185th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion
• 682nd independent Auto-Transport Battalion
• 00 independent Tank Training Battalion

18.11.46 reduced to 6th Guards Tank Regiment (mobilisation) - all attached units remained, but were downsized (regiment to battalion, battalion to company), but 11.48 again expanded to full size.

6.5.54 re-organised:

• 22nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment was renamed 22nd Guards Mechanised Regiment
• 272nd Guards Artillery Regiment was activated from the 272nd Guards Mortar Regiment and the 000 independent Howitzer Artillery Battalion
• 3rd independent Guards Motorcycle Battalion was renamed 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion
• 472nd independent Chemical Defence Company was activated

In 6.57 re-organised (ordered 12.3.57):

• 51st Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 27th Guards Tank Division
• 78th Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment became 78th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment
• 22nd Guards Mechanized Regiment was renamed 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment

8.6.58 the 52nd Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 7th Guards Tank Division, and was replaced by the 1st Guards Tank Regiment from the 20th Guards Motorised Rifle Division.

In 1960 the 00 independent Tank Training Battalion was disbanded.

Organisation 1960:

• 1st Guards Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 78th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany) - from 1962 78th Guards Tank Regiment
• 202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Jüterbog, East Germany)
• 272nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Torgau, East Germany)
• 286th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 120th independent Guards Sapper Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 472nd independent Chemical Defence Company (Jüterbog, East Germany)
• 185th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 682nd independent Motor Transport Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)

14.9.61 re-organised:

• 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment was transferred to the 7th Guards Tank Division, and was replaced by the 202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment
• 1st Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 20th Guards Motorised Rifle Division, and was replaced by the 52nd Guards Tank Regiment
• 272nd Guards Artillery Regiment was replaced by the 350th Artillery Regiment
• 637th independent Missile Battalion was activated

19.2.62 the 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated, from the tank workshop and the vehicle workshop.

In 1968 the 120th independent Guards Sapper Battalion was renamed 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

• 52nd Guards Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 78th Guards Tank Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Jüterbog, East Germany)
• 350th Artillery Regiment (Oschatz, East Germany)
• 286th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 637th independent Missile Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 439th independent Reactive Artillery Battery (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 472nd independent Chemical Defence Company (Jüterbog, East Germany)
• 185th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)
• 682nd independent Motor Transport Battalion (Wittenberg, East Germany)

In 1972 the 472nd independent Chemical Defence Company was renamed 1st independent Chemical Defence Battalion.

12.9.79 ordered to transfer to Grodno, Grodno Oblast - the transfer was completed in 3.80 (78th Guards Tank Regiment and the 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion completed the transfer).

In 1980 the 682nd independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 981st independent Material Supply Battalion, and the 439th independent Reactive Artillery Battery was absorbed by the Artillery Regiment.

31.3.80 the 287th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment was transferred to the 27th Guards Motorised Rifle Division, and was replaced by the 1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment.

Organisation 1980:

• 52nd Guards Tank Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment (Gozha, Grodno Oblast)
• 78th Guards Tank Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 350th Artillery Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 637th independent Missile Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Gozha, Grodno Oblast)
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 1st independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 185th independent Medical Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 981st independent Material Supply Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)

15.5.82 the 637th independent Missile Battalion was disbanded, and was replaced by the 308th independent Missile Battalion.

25.11.85 the 185th independent Medical Battalion was renamed 85th independent Medical Company, and the 1st independent Chemical Defence Battalion was renamed 417th independent Chemical Defence Company.

Organisation 1988:

• 52nd Guards Tank Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment (Gozha, Grodno Oblast)
• 78th Guards Tank Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 350th Artillery Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 308th independent Missile Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Gozha, Grodno Oblast)
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 417th independent Chemical Defence Company (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 85th independent Medical Company (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)
• 981st independent Material Supply Battalion (Grodno, Grodno Oblast)

1.9.88 the 308th independent Missile Battalion was transferred to the 465th Missile Brigade.

20.3.92 taken over by Belarus.

Headquarters:

• Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, 7.45 - 3.47
• Wittenberg, East Germany, 3.47 - 3.80 [51 53 02N, 12 38 53E]
• Grodno, Grodno Oblast, 3.80 - 3.92 [53 39 06N, 23 46 06E]

Subordination:

• 3rd Guards Tank Army, 7.45 - 4.7.46
• 3rd Guards Mechanized Army, 4.7.46 - 29.4.57
• 18th Guards Combined Army, 29.4.57 - 6.64
• 1st Guards Tank Army, 6.64 - 3.80
• 28th Combined Arms Army, 3.80 - 3.92

Equipment:

• 1974: T-62 (53 Gv.TP, 51st Gv.TP), T-54/55 (78 Gv.TP, 202. Gv.MSP)
• 1976: 1st 152mm 2s3 delivered to the Artillery Regiment
• 1979: T-62 (all regiments), SA-6 (SAM regiment), SA-9 (78 Gv.TP), Artillery Regiment (18 152mm 2s3, 6 122mm D-30)
• 12.85: 8000 men, 328 T-72, 219 BMP-1, 15 BMP-2, 18 BTR-60, 48 122mm 2s1, 24 122mm D-30, 36 152mm 2s3

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• 52nd Guards Tank Regiment: 68 T-72, 3 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BTR-70, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 BMP-1KSh, 2 PRP-3/4, 3 RKhM, 1 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 1 MTP, 1 BREM-2, 3 MT-55A
• 53rd Guards Tank Regiment: 67 T-72, 3 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 6 BTR-70, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 1 PRP-3, 2 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 3 RKhM, 3 MT-55A
• 78th Guards Tank Regiment: 67 T-72, 3 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 6 BTR-70, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 BMP-1KSh, 3 PRP-3/4, 3 RKhM, 1 MTP, 2 R-145BM, 1 PU-12, 3 MT-55A
• 79th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment: 27 T-72, 88 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BTR-70, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 BMP-1KSh, 1 PRP-3, 2 MTP, 1 BREM-2, 1 R-145BM, 1 PU-12, 1 MT-55A
• 886th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment: 24 2s3 Akatsiya, 12 BM-21 Grad, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 4 PRP-4
• 1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment: 1 PU-12
• 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion: 10 BMP-2, 7 BRM-1K, 6 BTR-70, 2 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR
• 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion: 8 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR, 1 R-137B, 1 ZS88, 3 RKhM
• 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 1 UR-67

Divisional coordinates:

• Wittenberg barracks (Tauentzien Kaserne) [US Designation Wittenberg Army Barracks 281]: 51 52 12N, 12 38 37E (Divisional HQ, 145th independent Guards Communications Battalion and 185th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion)
• Wittenberg barracks (Arado-Werke) [US Designation Wittenberg Army Barracks 282]: 51 51 57N, 12 41 19E (1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment and 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion)
• Wittenberg barracks (Flak Kaserne) [US designation: Wittenberg Army Barracks 283]: 51 53 19N, 12 41 23E (53rd Guards Tank Regiment, 78th Guards Tank Regiment and 56th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion)
• Wittenberg barracks (Beseler Kaserne) [US designation: Wittenberg Army Barracks 284]: 51 53 06N, 12 38 51E (52nd Guards Tank Regiment, 3rd independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion, 637th independent Missile Battalion, 439th independent Reactive Artillery Battery and 682nd independent Motor Transport Battalion)
• Jüterbog barracks (Fliegerhorst Kaserne) [US designation: Jüterbog Army Barracks 206]: 52 00 39N, 12 59 30E (202nd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and 1st independent Chemical Defence Battalion)
• Oschatz barracks (Infanterie Kaserne) [US designation: Oschatz Army Barracks 221]: 51 17 38N, 13 07 37E (350th Artillery Regiment)
• Grodno barracks [US designation: Grodno Army Barracks Kelbasin AL 6]: 53 39 19N, 23 46 14E (Divisional HQ, and all attached units, except listed below)
• Grodno barracks [US designation: Grodno Army Barracks AL 9]: 53 38 33N, 23 50 06E (1076th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment)
• Gozha barracks [US designation: Grodno Army Barracks AL 11]: 53 48 20N, 23 52 11E (53rd Guards Tank Regiment and 120th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion)

The division was maintained as a Ready Division - First Line (US terms: Category I) - manning was almost 100% (until 1980), and then as a Ready Division - Reduced Strength I (US terms: Category II).