▁heavy ▁fighting ▁for ▁several ▁days ▁until ▁the ▁A xis ▁def enses ▁were ▁over wh el med ▁and ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁Ver kh ne b ak ansk ▁and ▁T aman ▁were ▁liber ated ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁respectively . ▁The ▁ 8 9 th ▁distinguished ▁itself ▁in ▁these ▁two ▁batt les ▁and ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁honor ary ▁title ▁of ▁" T am ansk aya " ▁( Т а ман ская ; ▁Tam any an , ▁ <0xD4> <0xB9> ա մ ա ն յ ա ն ). " ▁Two ▁soldiers ▁from ▁the ▁division ▁in ▁particular , ▁Senior ▁Serge ants ▁Hun an ▁M . ▁A vet is yan ▁and ▁Sur en ▁S . ▁A rak ely an , ▁were ▁noted ▁for ▁the ▁courage ▁they ▁displayed ▁during ▁the ▁fighting ▁and ▁were ▁both ▁post hum ously ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁medal ▁of ▁the ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 1 , ▁the ▁ 8 9 th ▁Division ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Ker ch – E lt igen ▁Operation , ▁an ▁am bit ious ▁Soviet ▁military ▁operation ▁involving ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁am ph ib ious ▁troops ▁onto ▁the ▁Ker ch ▁Pen ins ula . ▁The ▁unit ▁land ed ▁near ▁the ▁settlement s ▁of ▁Bak si ▁and ▁Ad zh im ush k ay , ▁not ▁far ▁from ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Ker ch , ▁and ▁held ▁its ▁position ▁for ▁five ▁months ▁despite ▁with ering ▁A xis ▁fire . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁it ▁slowly ▁made