Size Army | Disbanded 1947 | |
Active 10 August - 15 November 194125 September 1941 – 1947 Engagements Battle of Kiev (1941)Barvenkovo-Lozovaya OffensiveNorth Caucasian Strategic OffensiveOdessa OffensiveJassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944) | ||
The 37th Army was an Army-level formation of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. The army was formed twice during the war. The army was part of the Southern Group of Forces in Romania and Bulgaria.
Contents
First formation
The first formation was created on 10 August 1941 in the Southwestern Front with the command group from the Kiev Fortified Region and other reserves in front reserves.
Upon formation the army took up defensive positions to the west of Kiev and on the left bank of the Dnieper River. During the defense of Kiev the army suffered serious losses against superior German forces. The army was surrounded in the city of Kiev and was ordered to break out on 19 September. Individual units of the army were able to break out and joined forces with the front. Many of the other units of the army were destroyed. The army was disbanded on 25 September 1941.
Composition
The army had the following units assigned when formed:
147th Rifle Division171st Rifle Division175th Rifle Division206th Rifle Division284th Rifle Division295th Rifle DivisionArtillery and other units.Second Formation
The army was reformed on 15 November 1941 in the Southern Front for a counterattack in the Rostov area against the German 1st Panzer Army. These actions facilitated the 9th and 56th Armies liberation of Rostov-on-Don. The army took part in the Barvenkovo-Lozovaya Offensive from 18–31 January 1942 with the goal of destroying the German Army in southern Ukraine.
The army conducted defensive operations during the summer and fall of 1942 in reaction to German operations in the Southern Soviet Union. The army was transferred from the Southern Front to the Don Group of the North Caucasian Front (I Formation) in late July and then the Transcaucasian Front in August 1942.
As part of the North Caucasian Strategic Offensive in January 1943 the army liberated the towns of Kisovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki and Cherkessk. The army was transferred to the North Caucasian Front(II Formation) on 24 January to participate in the Krasnodar Offensive. In July the army forces were reassigned to the 9th and 56th Armies and the 37th Army was placed under STAVKA control.
On 7 September 1943 the army was assigned to the Steppe Front. The army took part in the liberation of the Left-bank Ukraine east of Kremenchug. In late September it crossed the Dnieper River west of Keleberda and northwest of Mishurin Horn. From October to December the army was involved in offensive operations in the Krivoy Rog area.
Assigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front on 15 January 1944. Participated in the Odessa Offensive in conjunction with the 46th Army. In August participated in the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive and the liberation of Bulgaria.
Composition
The army had the following units assigned when formed:
51st Rifle Division96th Rifle Division99th Rifle Division216th Rifle Division253rd Rifle Division295th Rifle DivisionForces assigned on 7 September 1943 upon attachment to the Steppe Front:
57th Rifle Corps82nd Rifle Corps53rd Rifle DivisionForces assigned at the end of the war.
34th Rifle Corps66th Rifle Corps82nd Rifle Corps255th Naval Rifle Brigade35th Antiaircraft Artillery DivisionArtillery, tank and engineer units.Post War
The army was stationed in Bulgaria as part of the Southern Group of Forces. It was redesignated as the 10th Mechanized Army in 1946 and disbanded in 1947.
Commanders
First Formation
Second Formation