29th Tank Corps
| 29th Tank Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943–1945 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | |
| Battle honours | Znamianka |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
|
The 29th Tank Corps was a tank corps of the Soviet Union's Red Army. Formed in February 1943, the corps served through the entire war, fighting in the Battle of Prokhorovka, the Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive, the Battle of the Dnieper, the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive, Operation Bagration, and the East Prussian Offensive. After the war ended, it was converted into a tank division.
The corps began forming on 22 February 1943 at the Moscow Armored Training Center near Naro-Fominsk, and soon became part of the new 5th Guards Tank Army. The 29th included the 25th, 31st, and 32nd Tank Brigades, the 53rd Motor Rifle Brigade, the 271st Mortar Regiment, and other smaller units, and was commanded by Major General Fyodor Anikushkin. Its chief of staff was Colonel Yevgeny Fominykh. The corps' three tank brigades were battle-hardened, but the others were newly formed and had not yet seen combat. On 2 March, Colonel Ivan Kirichenko became the corps commander. By 12 March, the corps concentrated 30 kilometers southwest of Millerovo, where it was joined by combat support units and received reinforcements. On 19 March, the entire army was ordered by Stavka to concentrate near Ostrogozhsk by 24 March, in a march taking place during the spring rasputitsa.
After reaching the Ostrogozhsk area, the corps began intensive combat training on 1 April in anticipation of upcoming operations. In early May, army commander Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov reorganized the tank brigades in order to create a strong corps reserve to repel unexpected enemy tank attacks and develop the breakthrough, the 32nd Brigade was equipped with only T-34 medium tanks, consisting of two battalions with three companies each, a total of 65 tanks. The 32nd's T-70 light tanks were transferred to the 25th and 31st Brigades, which also had a two-battalion structure, with the first battalion equipped with T-34s and the second battalion with T-70s. The corps was completely formed by 10 May after it was joined by the 14th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment and the 108th Anti-tank Artillery Regiment. On 30 May, the corps' brigades and the 271st Mortar Regiment received their battle flags in a ceremony.
...
Wikipedia