173rd Rifle Division

77th Guards Rifle Division
Active	1943–1957
Country	Soviet Union
Allegiance	Red Army
Branch	Infantry
Size	Division
Garrison/HQ	Arkhangelsk (Lesnaya Rechka), Arkhangelsk Oblast

The 77th Guards Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II.

The division traces its history to the 21st Division of the Moscow People's Militia, formed in July 1941. In August–September 1941 the division became the 173rd Rifle Division (2nd Formation). From the northern autumn of 1942, the division participated in the Battle of Stalingrad, leading the defensive and offensive operations north-west of Stalingrad and in the city. In accordance with Order of the NKO number 104 dated March 1, 1943 173rd Rifle Division was converted to 77 Guards Rifle Division – for successful combat operations on the Stalingrad front.

Reduced to 10th Brigade 1946–52, became 77th Guards Motor Rifle Division 1957 at Arkhangelsk. In the northern autumn of 1989 transferred to the Northern Fleet and became a coastal defence division. Reduced to 163rd Separate Coastal Defence Brigade on 1 December 1994. Brigade disbanded 1 March 1996. On November 28, 1998, the divisional banner and other regalia was given to the 332nd Naval Infantry Battalion of the Caspian Flotilla, which became the 600th Moscow-Chernigov Naval Infantry Battalion. Reformed as 77th Brigade in December 2000, but disbanded in March 2009, though it appears the two separate subordinate Naval Infantry battalions remained.

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