Overview
The 128th Rifle Division was first formed as an infantry division of the Red Army on August 19, 1939, in the Urals Military District, based on the shtat of the following month. It was formed mostly of personnel of Uzbek nationality and was known as an "Uzbek" division until 1941. After seeing brief service in the war against Finland in early 1940 as part of 8th Army it remained in the Leningrad area and then the occupied Baltic states, being assigned to 11th Army in Lithuania in early 1941. In the opening hours of the German invasion it was outflanked to the north and south by panzer formations. It managed to evade or break out of encirclement over the following weeks, making its way to the east toward Leningrad, briefly becoming part of 27th Army, and then 48th Army to the north of Lake Ilmen. This Army was driven aside by German motorized forces in late August and early September, leading to the encirclement of the city, with the 128th outside the pocket south of Lake Ladoga. It was soon reassigned to the new 54th Army. It played a minor role in the first attempt to recapture Sinyavino in October, and over the following months fought to maintain its positions along the Volkhov River, moving to 8th Army in January 1942 and then, with that Army, to Volkhov Front in June. Under these commands it attacked again toward Sinyavino in late August but was halted after initial gains, after which the penetration was cut off and the division was forced to escape with heavy losses. After moving to 2nd Shock Army it returned to 8th Army, then back to 2nd Shock prior to the offensive in January 1943 which partially broke the blockade. During September, as part of 67th Army, back in Leningrad Front, it played a marginal role in the fighting that finally took Sinyavino. The front stabilized over the following months and the 128th returned to 2nd Shock in order to stage out of the Oranienbaum Bridgehead at the start of the offensive that drove Army Group North from the gates of Leningrad in January 1944, but was soon reassigned to 42nd Army in the same Front for the advance toward the Panther Line, where it stalled for several months. In July it took part in the fighting for the city of Pskov and won its name as a battle honor. Following this victory it began advancing into Estonia before being removed to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command where it was rebuilt as it moved into Poland to join the 21st Army in 1st Ukrainian Front. Early in the offensive into Silesia in January 1945 the division was recognized for its role in taking the city of Hindenburg with the Order of the Red Banner. During March it took part in the Upper Silesian Offensive and three of its regiments were recognized with decorations. In the very last days of the war it was marching on Prague, and by July it was disbanded.