| 24th Tank Corps 2nd Guards Tank Corps |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1942 - 2001 |
| Country | Soviet Union (1942 - 1991) Russia (1991 - 2001) |
| Branch | Red Army (1942 - 1991) Russian Ground Forces (1991 - 2001) |
| Type | Armored |
| Role | Breakthrough and Exploitation in Deep Operations |
| Size | Corps (120 - 200 tanks) |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Decorations | Order of Suvorov Order of the Red Banner |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
V.M.Badanov |
The 2nd Tatsinskaya Guards Tank Corps was a Red Army armoured formation that saw service during World War II on the Eastern Front. After the war it continued to serve with Soviet occupation forces in Central Europe. It was originally the 24th Tank Corps. The unit had approximately the same size and combat power as a Wehrmacht Panzer Division, and less than a British Armoured Division had during World War II.
Contents |
The first of the Guards Tank Corps were formed when 26th Tank Corps was renamed 1st Guards Tank Corps in December 1942. (http://stalingrad.ic.ru/s26tcorp.html)
24th Tank Corps was formed in 1942 during the re-establishment of the tank corps as a formation in the Red Army. It was equipped with a mix of T-34 medium, T-60 light, KV-1 heavy, and U.S. Lend Lease M3 Stuart light tanks. It was assigned to 6th Army, and participated in the Stalingrad Defensive Operation on the Don River during July 1942, where it lost almost two-thirds of the tanks.[1] Its 24th Motorized Brigade conducted offensive operations along the Don together with 25th Guards Rifle Division. [2]
Following re-building, it was assigned to 3rd Guards Army which was under the command of General Dmitri Danilovich Lelyushenko to participate in the encirclement of German Army Group A in Operation Saturn, which was undertaken during the Battle of Stalingrad.
The 24th Tank Corps consisted of the following units:
Combat Units
Support Units
The Corps undertook the famous raid on Tatsinskaya during Operation Little Saturn. In honour of the achievement during this raid, it was renamed 2nd Guards Tank Corps, and given the honorific 'Tatsinskaya'.
2nd Guards Tank Corps was initially based on the same units as 24th Tank Corps. The individual combat units were also renamed and renumbered as Guards units. With changing TO&E during the war, additional units were added. Depending on the specific tasks allotted to the Corps, units from the STAVKA Reserve could be added to help it achieve its mission.
At the Battle of Kursk, the following OOB applied:
Main Combat Units (totalling 187 tanks at Prokohorovka):
Support Units (unconfirmed)