339th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

The 339th Rifle Division was a Red Army infantry division formed during World War II. It was formed in August 1941 in the Rostov Oblast. The division participated in numerous battles on the Eastern Front, including the Battle of Rostov, the Donbas Strategic Offensive, and the Crimean Offensive.

The division was initially formed as part of the Soviet Union's rapid expansion of its armed forces following the German invasion. It was composed primarily of reservists and new conscripts from the surrounding region. As with many Soviet divisions formed in the early stages of the war, the 339th suffered heavy losses and went through multiple reorganizations and re-equipments.

Key engagements for the 339th included fighting in the defense of Rostov-on-Don and its subsequent liberation. The division participated significantly in the expulsion of Axis forces from the Donbas region and played a role in the liberation of Crimea in 1944, contributing to the breaking of the German lines and the recapture of Sevastopol.

Following the Crimean Offensive, the 339th continued to serve on the front lines until the end of the war, participating in further offensives against German forces. Details about its specific post-war fate and disbandment are less readily available compared to its wartime activities. Despite the limited publicly available information regarding its complete history, the 339th Rifle Division stands as one example of the many Soviet formations that endured significant hardship and contributed substantially to the Soviet war effort.