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63rd Army (Soviet Union)
The 63rd Army of the Soviet Union 's Red Army was formed in July 1942, by the order of Headquarters Red Army Supreme Command № 994110, by renaming Stavka's 5th Reserve Army .
Initially part of the Stalingrad Front for defensive battles on approaches to Stalingrad, later the Don Front for the battle within the city , and Soviet Southwestern Front for the Operation Uranus counter-offensive. In November 1942 the 63rd Army was reflagged as the 1st Guards Army .
In March 1943 the Army was formed for the second time from 2nd Reserve Army. Initially it conducted defensive operations along the Zusha and Neruch Rivers and the region south of Mtsensk . It participated in Operation Kutuzov at Orel, and the Briansk and Gomel-Rechitsa operations. With Markian Popov 's Bryansk Front at the Battle of Kursk it comprised the 5th , 41st, 129th, 250th, 287th, 348th and 397th Rifle Divisions. It was disbanded in February 1944.
Officers
General - Lieutenant Kuznetzov (Army commander)
Member military council - Corps commissar Zheltov
Chief of Army headquarters - General-major Krypenikov
Operative department
Chief of intelligence
Chief of artillery
Chief of signals
Chief of engineering service
Chief of supply
Structure on August 1 1942
Army headquarters
14th Guards Rifle Division - General-major Grayznov (July 17 to December 31 1942)1st Rifle Division - General-major Semenov (July 17 to December 31 1942)127th Rifle Division - Colonel Zaitzev (July 17 to September 22 1942)153rd Rifle Division - Colonel Nikitin (July 17 December to 31 1942); Colonel Karnov (from October 11 1942)197th Rifle Division - General-major Zaporozhchenko (July 17 December to 31 1942)203rd Rifle Division - Colonel Kashlayev (July 17 December to 31 1942); Colonel Zdanovich (from September 3 1942)36th Tank Brigade 134th Tank Brigade 193rd Tank Brigade 646th Tank Battalion
647th Tank Battalion
1110th Artillery Regiment
1180th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
1249th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
1250th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
51st Guards Mortar Regiment
58th Guards Mortar Regiment
79th Guards Mortar Regiment
1413rd Sapper Battalion
1486th Sapper Battalion
Structure on October 1 1942
Army headquarters
14th Guards Rifle Division
1st Rifle Division
153rd Rifle Division
197th Rifle Division
203rd Rifle Division
6th Guards Cavalry Division - Colonel Belogorodskyi (July 26 - December 31 1942)1110th Artillery Regiment
1180th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
1249th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
1250th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment
1257th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
26th Machine-gun Battalion
28th Machine-gun Battalion
350th Independent Engineer Brigade
1486th Sapper Battalion
Sources and further reading
Armies
Guards
Tank
Shock
Cavalry
Sapper
1st · 2nd · 3rd · 4th · 5th
