12th Guards Prikarpatsko-Berlinskaya Red Banner order of Suvorov Tank Division

12-я гвардейская танковая Прикарпатско-Берлинская Краснознамённая ордена Суворова дивизия

Military Unit: 18832; from 3.47: 58440

Activated 6.7.45 in Neuruppin, East Germany, from the 12th Guards Tank Corps.

Organisation 1946:

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment
• 49th Guards Tank Regiment
• 66th Guards Tank Regiment
• 34th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment
• 71st Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment
• 226th Guards Mortar Regiment
• 75th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
• 000 independent Howitzer Artillery Battalion
• 89th independent Guards Mortar Battalion
• 18th independent Guards Motorcycle Battalion
• 136th independent Guards Sapper Battalion
• 186th independent Guards Communications Battalion
• 208th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion
• 674th independent Auto-Transport Battalion
• 59th independent Tank Training Battalion

6.5.54 re-organised:

• 34th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment was renamed 145th Guards Mechanised Regiment
• 843rd Guards Artillery Regiment was activated from the 226th Guards Mortar Regiment and the 000 independent Howitzer Artillery Battalion
• 18th independent Guards Motorcycle Battalion was renamed 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company was activated

25.6.57 reorganised (ordered 12.3.57):

• 49th Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 26th Guards Tank Division
• 66th Guards Tank Regiment was renamed 353rd Guards Tank Regiment
• 71st Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment was renamed 332nd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment
• 145th Guards Mechanized Regiment was renamed 803rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment
• 186th independent Guards Communications Battalion was renamed 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion

In 1958 the 75th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment was transferred to the 207th Motorised Rifle Division, and was replaced by the 933rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment.

In 1960 the 59th independent Tank Training Battalion was disbanded.

Organisation 1960:

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 332nd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany) - 1962 renamed 332nd Guards Tank Regiment
• 353rd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 803rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Drögen, East Germany)
• 843rd Guards Artillery Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Burg, East Germany
• 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 136th independent Guards Sapper Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Schönwalde, East Germany)
• 208th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 674th independent Motor Transport Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)

In 1961 the 639th independent Missile Battalion was activated.

19.2.62 the 64th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated.

In 1968 the 136th independent Guards Sapper Battalion was renamed 136th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

In 11.68 the 803rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and the 843rd Guards Artillery Regiment were transferred to the 25th Tank Division, and were replaced by the 400th Motorised Rifle Regiment and the 117th Artillery Regiment, from the same division.

Organisation 1970:

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 332nd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 353rd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 400th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 117th Artillery Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Burg, East Germany)
• 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 639th independent Missile Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 89th independent Reactive Artillery Battery (Schönwalde, East Germany)
• 136th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 64th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Schönwalde, East Germany)
• 208th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 674th independent Motor Transport Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany) - 1979 moved to Wulkov

In 1972 the 000 independent Chemical Defence Company was renamed 129th independent Chemical Defence Battalion.

In 1980 the 674th independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 1074th independent Material Supply Battalion, and the 89th independent Reactive Artillery Battery was absorbed by the Artillery Regiment.

Organisation 1980:

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 332nd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 353rd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 400th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 117th Artillery Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Burg, East Germany)
• 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 639th independent Missile Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany) - SS-21 from 12.82
• 136th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 64th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 129th independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Schönwalde, East Germany)
• 208th independent Medical Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 1074th independent Material Supply Battalion (Wulkov, East Germany)

In 1.83 the 400th Motorised Rifle Regiment was replaced by the 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment.

In 9.87 the 639th independent Missile Battalion was transferred to the 442nd Missile Brigade.

Organisation 1988:

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 332nd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 353rd Guards Tank Regiment (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Burg, East Germany)
• 117th Artillery Regiment (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Burg, East Germany)
• 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Mahlwinkel, East Germany)
• 136th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 64th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 129th independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 208th independent Medical Battalion (Neuruppin, East Germany)
• 1074th independent Material Supply Battalion (Wulkov, East Germany)

Disbanded 2.91:

• 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and the 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion were transferred to the 19th Motorised Rifle Division
• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment was transferred to the 42nd Army Corps

Headquarters:

• Neuruppin, East Germany, 7.45 - 12.90
• Vladikavkaz, Severo-Osetinskaya ASSR, 12.90 - 2.91

Subordination:

• 2nd Guards Tank Army, 7.45 - 12.6.46
• 2nd Guards Mechanized Army, 12.6.46 - 29.4.57
• 2nd Guards Tank Army, 29.4.57 - 5.83
• 3rd Combined Arms Army, 5.83 - 12.90
• North Caucasus Military District, 12.90 - 2.91

Equipment:

• 1974: 325 T-62
• 1979: T-64 (all TP and MSP), T-62 (400 MSP), 122mm 2s1 (400 MSP), 122mm D-30 (artillery regiment), 152mm 2s3 (artillery regiment), SA-6 (SAM regiment)
• 12.85: 9500 men, 269 T-64A, 50 T-64B, 188 BMP-1, 45 BMP-2, 18 BTR-60, 6 BTR-60 or 70, 54 122mm 2s1, 18 122mm D-30, 36 152mm 2s3

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings) - under transfer to Vladikavkaz, Severo-Osetinskaya ASSR - equipped with T-80 tanks:

• Divisional HQ: 1 R-156BTR, 2 PU-12

• 48th Guards Tank Regiment: 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 RKhM, 2 PU-12, 3 MT-55A

• 353rd Guards Tank Regiment: 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 3 RKhM, 2 PU-12, 3 MT-55A

• 322nd Guards Tank Regiment: 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 RKhM, 2 PU-12, 3 MT-55A

• 200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment: none

• 117th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment: 23 2s3 Akatsiya, 1 R-156BTR

• 933rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment: 1 R-156BTR

• 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion: 1 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR

• 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion: 1 R-2AM

Divisional coordinates:

• Neuruppin barracks (Friedrich-Franz Kaserne) [US designation: Neuruppin Army Barracks 201/203]: 52 55 07N, 12 48 16E (136th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion, 490th independent Guards Communications Battalion and 674th independent Motor Transport Battalion)
• Neuruppin barracks (Lazarett) [US designation: Neuruppin Army Barracks 202]: 52 55 08N, 12 47 53E (Divisional HQ)
• Neuruppin barracks (Panzer Kaserne) [US designation: Neuruppin Army Barracks 205]: 52 57 09N, 12 49 33E (48th Guards Tank Regiment, 332nd Guards Tank Regiment, 353rd Guards Tank Regiment, 639th independent Missile Battalion and 64th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion)
• Neuruppin barracks [US designation: Neuruppin Barracks 507]: 52 55 16N, 12 47 20E (208th independent Medical Battalion)
• Burg barracks (Artillerie Kaserne) [US designation: Burg Army Barracks 262]: 52 15 24N, 11 52 18E (200th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and 933rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment)
• Mahlwinkel barracks [US designation: Mahlwinkel Army Barracks 234]: 52 22 34N, 11 49 17E (400th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 117th Artillery Regiment and 18th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion)
• Wulkow barracks: 52 30 11N, 12 07 53E (1074th independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Schönwalde barracks (Flugplatz Kaserne) [US designation: Schoenwalde Army Barracks 281]: 52 37 30N, 13 09 16E (89th independent Reactive Artillery Battery and 129th independent Chemical Defence Battalion)
• Vladikavkaz barracks: 43 02 21N, 44 43 32E

The division was maintained as a Ready Division - First Line (US terms: Category I) - manning was almost 100%.