The 354th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as a standard Red Army rifle division, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It took part in the defense of Moscow and the winter counteroffensive of 1941–42, and then in the costly battles around the German salient near Rzhev. It also served in the defensive battle of Kursk and the summer offensive that followed in 1943. The division distinguished itself in at least three battles. It was credited with the liberation of the town of Kalinkovichi on January 14, 1944, and shared credit with other formations for the liberation of Bobruisk during Operation Bagration. It also played the leading role in the defense of 65th Army's bridgehead over the Narev River in October, 1944. During the final offensives into Germany in 1945 it advanced through Poland and Pomerania and ended the war near Stettin. The 354th compiled a highly distinguished record of service, but nevertheless was disbanded in June, 1946. Formation The division was organized at Penzensk in the Volga Military District, starting on August 11, 1941, through to the end of October, when it began moving to the front. Its full order of battle was as follows: 1199th Rifle Regiment 1201st Rifle Regiment 1203rd Rifle Regiment 921st Artillery Regiment 476th Sapper Battalion 645th Antiaircraft Battalion 809th Signal Battalion 443rd Medical Battalion 420th Reconnaissance Company 473rd Truck Company 436th Chemical Defense Company Col. Dmitrii Fyodorovich Alekseev was named divisional commander on September 1. Alekseev had the advantage of starting with an unusually strong cadre for this period of the war; 35 percent of his officers were active-duty, and he received a large number of high-morale, experienced Communist Party members from the Penzensk party organization. Alekseev would be promoted to Major General on May 19, 1943, and apart from a few weeks in October/November, 1943, he would remain in command until nearly the end of that year. Battle of Moscow On November 26 the 354th was assigned to 16th Army, under command of Lt. Gen. K.K. Rokossovski, part of Western Front defending before Moscow. In early December the 16th Army joined in the Soviet counteroffensive against German Army Group Center. The division first went on the offensive on the morning of December 3, reaching the southern outskirts of Matushkino by late afternoon. According to the Soviet General Staff study of the battle, the release of the