Handbook on USSR Military Forces: Chapter III, Field Organization War Department (USA)
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln DOD Military Intelligence U.S. Department of Defense 3-1-1946 Handbook on USSR Military Forces: Chapter III, Field Organization War Department (USA) Robert L. Bolin , Depositor University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dodmilintel War Department (USA) and Bolin, Robert L. , Depositor, "Handbook on USSR Military Forces: Chapter III, Field Organization" (1946). DOD Military Intelligence. 23. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dodmilintel/23 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Defense at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in DOD Military Intelligence by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Technical Manual, TM 30-340, 1 March 1946 Handbook on USSR Military Forces Chapter III, Field Organization Robert L. Bolin, Depositor University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Technical Manual, TM 30-430, Chapter III, 1 March 1946 Handbook on USSR Military Forces Chapter III, Field Organization War Department Washington, DC Comments The copy digitized was borrowed from the Marshall Center Research Library, APO, AE 09053-4502. Abstract TM 30-340, Handbook on USSR Military Forces, was “published in installments to expedite dissemination to the field.” TM30-430, Chapter III, 1 March 1946, “Field Organization,” contains detailed descriptions of the organization of various types of units in the armed forces. The text is further illuminated by numerous tables of organization and equipment. This manual is listed in WorldCat under Accession Number: OCLC: 19989681 A Note on Scholarly Usage Since revised editions of Army manuals are customarily issued with the same manual number and title as the previous editions, the minimal scholarly citation must contain the date of issue. The minimum unambiguous citation for this chapter is TM 30-430, Chapter III, 1 March 1946. TM 30-430 CHAPTER III TECHNICAL MANUAL HANDBOOK ON U. S. S. R. MILITARY FORCES TM 30-430 is being published in installaments to expedite dissemination to the field. These chapters should be inserted in the loose-leaf binder furnished with Chapter V, November 1945. WAR DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON 25, D. C., 1 March 1946 TM 30-430, Handbook on U. S. S. R. Military Forces, is published for the information and guid ance of all concerned. [AG 300.7 (8 Oct 45)] I By ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: OFFICIAL: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER EDWARD F. WITSELL Chief of Staff Major General The Adjutant General DISTRIBUTION: AGF (80); ASF (2); T (10); Arm & Sv Bd (1); S Div ASF (1). Refer to FM 21-6 for explanation of distribution formula . • I Mar 46 TM 30-430 CHAPTER III FIELD ORGANIZATIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Figure Page- INTRODUCTION ......................... III-l 4. Division Artillery Regiment ...... 1II-9 1. Prewar .Field Organiza tions ........... 111-1 5. 45- or 57-mm Antitank Gun Battalion ..... lII-lO 2. Underlying Factors in Modification of the 6. Rifle Regiment. ........................ 1I1-11 Organization of the Red Army, 19·H-44. 111-1 7_ Guards Rifle Regiment .................. , 1I1-11 3. Results of Reorganization ............ III-3 8. Rifle Battalion ......................... 111-12 4. Probable Future Trends. ....... 111-4 9. Tank Corps ............................ 1II-13 Section I. ARMY GROUPS, ARMIES, AND 10. Tank Brigade .......................... 111-14 CORPS ................................ 111-5 ll. Motorized Rifle Brigade ................. 111-14 1. Army Group (Front) .......... , ...... JTI-5 12. Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment ......... III-IS 2. Armies, , ........................... 111-6 13. Heavy Self-Propelled Regiment. .......... III-IS 3. Corps .............................. 111-7 14. Tank Destroyer Artillery Regiment( Towed) . III-I6 Section II. ORGANIZATION OF THE 15. Reconnaissance Battalion ................ III-I6 GROUND ARMS ....................... III-7 16. Motorcycle Battalion ................... III-16 1. Introduction ........................ III-7 17. Mechanized Corps ...................... 1II-I7 2. Infantry ............................ 111-8 18. Tank Regiment ........................ 111-18 3. Armored and Mechanized Forces. 111-12 19. Artillery Division ....................... 111-19 4. Artillery ............... III-18 20. Antiaircraft Artillery Division ............ III-I9 5. Cavalry ................. 1II-26 21. Light Artillery Brigade, Motorized ........ III-20 Section III. TECHNICAL SERVICES. IJI-27 22. Light Howitzer Brigade ................. 111-20 1. Introduction ........................ III-27 23. Medium Gun Brigade ................... 111-21 2. Engineer ........................... 111-27 24. 120-mm Mortar Brigade ................. 1II-22 3. Signal .............................. 111-28 25. 76-mm Gun Regiment, Motorized ........ III-22 4. Chemical Warfare Service ............ JII-29 26. 120-mm Mortar Regiment ............... 111-22 5. Maintenance ........................ 1JI-29 27. Rocket Regiment ....................... 111-23 6. Medical and Veterinary Service ....... III-29 28. 37 -mm Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Appendix ................................ 1I1-31 Regiment. ................. , ......... 111-23 29. 85-mm Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment .... 111-23 30. 122-mm Howitzer Regiment, Motorized .... 111-24 List of Illustrations 31. Medium Gun Regiment ................. 1II-24 Figure Page 32. 76-mm Gun Battalion, Motorized ......... 111-25 1. Table of Organization and Equipment of the 33. 152-mm Gun-Howitzer Battalion, Motorized. III-25 principal field units of the Red Army ..... I£I-2 34.. Cavalry Corps ......................... 111-25 2. Cbanges in strength and equipment of tbe 35. Cavalry Division ....................... 1II-26 Rifle Division 1939-1945 .............. 111-2 36. Cavalry Regiment. ..... , ............... III-27 3. Rifle Division .......................... 111-9 37. Red Army maintenance services .......... 111-30 686882'--46----3 ill-I 1 Mar 46 TM 30-430 CHAPTER III FIELD ORGANIZATIONS INTRODUCTION squadron, a signal group, an air reconnaissance squadron, and service units. The strength of a cav 1. PREWAR FIELD ORGANIZATIONS alry division was 7,000 men. It had 64 light tanks Immediately prior to the outbreak of the war with and 16 armored cars. Its principal weapons con Germany, the highest active field organization in sisted of sixteen 76-mm guns, eight 122-mm how the Red Army was the military district. Each mili itzers and sixteen 76-mm howitzers, and eight 45- tary district was responsible for the administrative, mm and 37-mm antitank guns. mobilization, and command functions of its specific Four artillery divisions were reported. Their geographic area. The Finnish War, for example, organization was believed to be as follows: head was conducted by the Leningrad Military District. quarters, one light artillery regiment, two heavy The highest tactical organization of the military artillery regiments, one antiaircraft artillery regi district was the corps. The rifle corps consisted of ment, and various services. headquarters, three to four rifle divisions, one or The moto-mechanized brigade consisted of head two regiments of corps artillery, an antiaircraft quarters, three tank battalions, a reconnaissance artillery group, a signal battalion, a chemical war battalion, an infantry battalion, a motorized artillery fare battalion, an air reconnaissance squadron, and battalion, a troop transport battalion, special troops, various service units, all making a total of 60,000 and services. Its strength was 3,300 men. Is prin to 65,000 men. The cavalry corps included head cipal armament consisted of twelve 76-mm guns, one quarters, two to three cavalry divisions, a howitzer hundred and sixty light and medium (lO-ton) tanks, regiment, a mechanized brigade, an engineer and a nineteen tankettes, and tweny-four armored cars. signal battalion, and service troops, totaling about The tank brigade consisted of headquarters, three 20,000 men. The moto-mechanized corps, then tank battalions of heavier tanks (T28 and T35), still in the experimental stage, comprised head and a security battalion which was comprised of a quarters, two mechanized brigades, a motorized in signal company, an engineer company, an anti fantry machine gun brigade, an engineer company, a aircraft machine gun company, a traffic control chemical warfare company, a flight of reconnais company, and a brigade park. sance aircraft, and minor service units, totaling 2. UNDERLYING FACTORS IN MODIFICATION OF about 12,000 troops. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE RED ARMY, The principal ground formations were the- rifle, 1941-44 cavalry, and artillery divisions, and the moto-mech The factors which influenced changes in organiza anized and the tank brigades. The rifle division tion of the Red Army units and formations in consisted of headquarters, three rifle regiments, two cluded: combat lessons learned in the Finnish War artillery regiments (a mixed fitld artillery and a and the war with Germany, initial weakness and sub howitzer regiment), a reconnaissance, a light tank, sequent growth of the officers' corps, necessity to an antitank, an engineer, a signal, and a medical halt the advance of the German Army, huge losses battalion, an antiaircraft machine gun company, a of personnel and materiel in 1941, decreased out field hospital, and services (figs. 1 and 2). put of factories in the early