Zetterling, page 52 states "In July 1943 there existed 22 Tank Corps and 13 Mechanized Corps in the Red Army."

Glantz, page 33 states "The basic building blocks of the Soviet armored and mechanized force were thirty-four tank and thirteen mechanized corps."

The "Perechen: Obyedinenii i Soyedinenii Sovetskikh Vooruzhennikh sil..." (MHI 1992) shows 31 tanks corps and 12 guards tank corps. All 12 of those guards tank corps are shown raised from tank corps.

It also shows 27 mechanized corps and 9 Guards Mechanized Corps. In this case, the list clearly included those from 1941. The first nine mechanized corps were formed a second time. There are also 9 Guards Mechanized Corps, one formed from a tank corps, five from the nine in the second formations of the mechanized corps (of which four also incorporated a tank corps), and three from rifle divisions.

This would lead one to conclude that there were 31 Tank Corps raised and at least 13 (probably only 13) Mechanized Corps raised after 1941.

I don't have the material with me right now (it's at home) but I'll verify the numbers.

Also, can you do me a favor and list the entire title of the "Perechen"? I'm also involved in a "Perechen" project and I'm wondering if it's the same list.

Regards,

1. 31 tank corps were initially formed, but one (27th TC) was used as a cadre for 1st Mech Corps before ever finishing forming. So, actually 30 TC's were formed that saw combat. The last tank corps was formed in May 1943.
2. Of those 30 TC's twelve went on to be designated GTC's. The last GTC formed was in November 1944. This means once all GTC's were formed there were 18 TC's and 12 GTC's.
3. [edit!]There were 14 MC's formed. Five of them were formed from TC's - as well as a single partially formed TC (see No.1), but I'm not counting that instance. The last MC formed was in June 1945, roughly (10th MC). Soviet armored corps now stand at 13 TC's, 12 GTC's, and 14 MC's. After 6/42 it's 12 TC's, since 21st TC was never reformed after being destroyed at Kharkov.
4. A total of 9 GMC's were designated, two from guards rifle divisions, one from a combination of a guards motorized rifle division and a mechanized brigade, and the remaining six from mech corps. The last GMC to be formed was in September 1944. This brings the total complement of Red Army armored forces at the end of the Soviet-German War to:

   9 Guards Mechanized Corps
   4 Mechanized Corps [edit!]
   12 Guards Tank Corps
   12 Tank Corps [edit!]

Thanks. So 30 or 31 Tank Corps and.....
either 11 or 13 "post-1941" mechanized corps.

Are you sure about those mechanized Corps?

I've got nine Guards Mechanized Corps listed, and the following 2nd formation units:

1st Mechanized Corps
7th Mechanized Corps
8th Mechanized Corps
9th Mechanized Corps

All four of these units have honorifics.

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Originally posted by Greg LG:
... but one (27th TC) was used as a cadre for 1st Mech Corps before ever finishing forming. So, actually 30 TC's were formed that saw combat.

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Actually, on closer examination, one notes that the MHI (Military History Institute) book does not list the 27th Tank Corps, so we are indeed looking at 30 Tank Corps.

• When 21st TC was destroyed in June 1942 at Kharkov, it was never reformed.
• 13th MC was formed from 13th TC.
• 10th MC never saw action in the European theater only the Far Eastern theater against the Kwantung Army.

9 Guards Mechanized Corps
4 Mechanized Corps
12 Guards Tank Corps
12 Tank Corps

Given Sharp's research, in July 1943 there were 24 Tank Corps and 13 Mechanized Corps in the Red Army.

In WWII, a total of 31 tank corps were formed. Of that number one was never fully formed before being incorporated into a mechanized corps, five were reformed into mechanized corps, twelve were later designated Guards units, and one was destroyed and never reformed.

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Originally posted by Greg LG:

13th MC was formed from 13th TC.

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The MHI book I have shows the 13th Tank Corps becoming the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps on 9 January 1943.

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Given Sharp's research, in July 1943 there were 24 Tank Corps and 13 Mechanized Corps in the Red Army.

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Originally posted by Chris Lawrence:
30 tank corps built by May 1943 (minus) 28th TC to 3rd Gds MC 18 Dec. 1942 (minus) 13th TC to 4th Gds MC 9 Jan. 1943 (minus) 14 TC to 5th Gds MC 9 Jan. 1943 (minus) 21st TC (Kharkov June 1942) = 26

The 8th TC and 22nd TC were converted to Mechanized Corps later.

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I'm at work now, Chris, but if that's the case how do you account for the 13 mech corps by this time? There were only 14 total, the last one forming in 1945 for August Storm. There should only be 11 mech corps then in July 1943.

Tank corps

1st: Western Front
2nd: Southwest Front
3rd: Central Front
5th: Western Front
6th: Voronezh Front
9th: Central Front
10th: Steppe Front
11th: Moscow Military District
16th: Central Front
18th: Stavka reserve
19th: Central Front
20th: Moscow Military District
23rd: Southwest Front
25th: Stavka reserve
29th: Steppe Front
30th: Moscow Military District
31st: Voronezh Front

1st Gds: Bryansk Front
2nd Gds: Voronezh Front
3rd Gds: Steppe Front
4th Gds: Steppe Front
5th Gds: Voronezh Front

Mech Corps:

1st: Steppe Front
2nd: Steppe Front
3rd: Voronezh Front
5th: Stavka reserve
7th: Moscow Military District
8th: Moscow Military District
9th: Volga Military District

1st Gds: Southwest Front
2nd Gds: South Front
3rd Gds: Steppe Front
4th Gds: South Front
5th Gds: Steppe Front
6th Gds: Moscow Military District

Regarding your source on 13th TC -> 4th GMC, Sharp may have solved the problem:

"The 13th Mechanized Corps is an oddball in the Soviet Army. 13th Tank Corps had been so shot up that most of its tank brigades were removed in September-October 1942, and when Mechanized Brigades were substituted at the beginning of November, it should have been redesignated as a Mechanized Corps with a new number, as had happened to other tank corps in similar situations. Instead, the corps retained the number '13' and even the Soviet sources get confused on what to call it: a tank corps or a mechanized corps. It had the subordinate units of a mechanized corps when it went into battle in late November and December 1942. It fought as a mechanized corps with 57th, 51st and 2nd Guards Armies during December in the mobile battles against German panzers south of Stalingrad, and in recognition of its actions there on 9 January 1943 the 13th Mechanized Corps was redesignated as the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps."

Subordinate units as of 1 November 1942 were:

17th Mechanized Brigade
61st Mechanized Brigade
62nd Mechanized Brigade
13th Tank Brigade
565th Antitank Regiment (20 45mm guns)
398th Antiaircraft Regiment (16 37mm guns)
214th Sapper Battalion

The two tank corps you missed were from Rybalko's 3rd Guards Tank Army: 12th and 15th Tank Corps. 3rd GTA was in STAVKA Reserve as a separate unit at that time (1 July 1943).

Chris,

Incidently, on looking at the 1 July 1943 Soviet OOB provided by Sharp, he shows both 3rd and 5th MC's. They are part of Voronezh Front and STAVKA Reserves, respectively. Mr. Zetterling's source shows the same.

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Originally posted by Greg LG:
Mr. Zetterling,

The two tank corps you missed were from Rybalko's 3rd Guards Tank Army: 12th and 15th Tank Corps. 3rd GTA was in STAVKA Reserve as a separate unit at that time (1 July 1943).

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Thanks for the information.

I concurr with the information provided in the previous messages.

24 Tank Corps
14 Mechanized Corps (1 HQ only)

Guards Mechanized Corps
1st Guards - from 1st Guards Rifle Division, November 42
2nd Guards - from 22nd Guards Rifle Division, November 42
3rd Guards - from 4th Mechanized Corps, December 42
4th Guards - from 13th Mechanized Corps, January 43
5th Guards - from 6th Mechanized Corps, January 43
6th Guards - from 3rd Guards Motorized Rifle Division and 49th Motorized Rifle Brigade, June 43
7th Guards - from 2nd Mechanized Corps, April 43
8th Guards - from 3rd Mechanized Corps, October 43
9th Guards - from 5th Mechanized Corps, October 44

Mechanized Corps
1st - from 27th Tank Corps, August 42
2nd - formed September 42; became 7th Guards Mechanized Corps, April 43
3rd - from 8th Tank Corps, September 42; became 8th Guards Mechanized Corps, October 43
4th - from 28th Tank Corps, October 42; became 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps, December 42, new 4th Mechanized Corps reformed July 43
5th - from 22nd Tank Corps, October 42; became 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, October 44
6th - from 14th Tank Corps, November 42; became 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, January 43
7th - formed September 42
8th - formed September 42
9th - formed September 43
10th - formed 1945 in the Far Eastern Theater
(13th) – actually the reorganized 13th Tank Corps November 42, became 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, January 43

Guards Tank Corps
1st Guards - from 26th Tank Corps, December 42
2nd Guards - from 24th Tank Corps, December 42
3rd Guards - from 7th Tank Corps, January 43
4th Guards - from 17th Tank Corps, January 43
5th Guards - from 4th Tank Corps, February 43
6th Guards - from 12th Tank Corps, July 43
7th Guards - from 15th Tank Corps, July 43
8th Guards - from 2nd Tank Corps, October 43
9th Guards - from 3rd Tank Corps, October 43
10th Guards - from 30th Tank Corps, October 43
11th Guards - from 6th Tank Corps, October 43
12th Guards - from 16th Tank Corps, October 43

Tank Corps
1st - formed March 42
2nd - formed March 42; became 8th Guards Tank Corps, October 43
3rd - formed March 42; became 9th Guards Tank Corps, October 43
4th - formed March 42; became 5th Guards Tank Corps, February 43
5th - formed April 42
6th - formed April 42; became 11th Guards Tank Corps, October 43; new 6th Tank Corps reformed November 43
7th - formed April 42; became 3rd Guards Tank Corps, Jan 43; new 7th Tank Corps reformed November 43
8th - formed April 42; became 3rd Mechanized Corps, September 42
9th - formed May 42
10th - formed April 42
11th - formed May 42
12th - formed May 42; became 6th Guards Tank Corps, July 43
13th - formed May 42; became 13th Mechanized Corps, November 42
14th - formed May 42; became 6th Mechanized Corps November 42
15th - formed May 42; became 7th Guards Tank Corps, July 43
16th - formed June 42; became 12th Guards Tank Corps, October 43, new 16th Tank Corps reformed November 43
17th - formed June 42; became 4th Guards Tank Corps, January 43, new 17th Tank Corps reformed July 43
18th - formed June 42
19th - formed December 42
20th - formed December 42
21st – formation begun April 42 but never completed, destroyed at Kharkov June 42 and never reformed
22nd - formed April 42; became 5th Mechanized Corps, October 42
23rd - formed April 42
24th - formed April 42; became 2nd Guards Tank Corps, December 42, new 24th Tank Corps reformed July 43
25th - formed July 42
26th - formed July 42; became 1st Guards Tank Corps, December 42
27th - formed June 42; became 1st Mechanized Corps, August 42
28th - formed July 42; became 4th Mechanized Corps, October 42
29th - formed February 43
30th - formed February 43; became 10th Guards Tank Corps, October 43
31st - formed June 43

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Originally posted by Greg LG:
Regarding 8th and 22nd TC's, Sharp shows that 3rd MC was formed on 18 September 1942 at Kalinin in Moscow Military District from 8th TC. If you doubt this, look up Katukov's memoirs: this was his unit to form. Sharp also places the date for 5th MC's formation in September 1942, forming from 22nd TC. This unit was involved in the fighting along the Chir in December 1942 against Balck's 11th Panzer Division, and was unique in being entirely armed with Valentines and Matildas of the 40mm gun persuasion.

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Originally posted by Rich:
All: please check this listing, I originally developed it for the Kursk project and have now corrected it with some of the information given here. Anybody who can give more complete formation dates would be welcome. By my count this gives the Soviets a total of 9 Guards Mechanized, 6 Mechanized, 12 Guards Tank, and 17 Tank Corps by the end of the war. Is that correct?

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Rich, if you're counting the entirety of WWII, then by my count you are over by 1 Mech Corps, and 5 Tank Corps. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go over your list until tonight. Maybe Craig could do so before that.

quote:

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Originally posted by Greg LG:
Rich, if you're counting the entirety of WWII, then by my count you are over by 1 Mech Corps, and 5 Tank Corps. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go over your list until tonight. Maybe Craig could do so before that.

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As Niklas and I are for the moment looking the battles around Korsun Jan-Feb 1944 I notice on Rich´s listing that 3rd TC and 16th TC belonging to 2nd Tank Army has wrong information. Both these tank corps together with the Armycommand become Guards in November 1944. But their Guard designations are correct.

Also that the designation of famous Tatsinskaya Corps (24th) which Balck trashed was re-used after the Corps become Guards is wrong according the information available to me.

Anders

Guards Mechanized Corps
1st Guards - from 1st Guards Rifle Division, November 42
2nd Guards - from 22nd Guards Rifle Division, October 42
3rd Guards - from 4th Mechanized Corps, December 42
4th Guards - from 13th Mechanized Corps, January 43
5th Guards - from 6th Mechanized Corps, January 43
6th Guards - from 3rd Guards Motorized Rifle Division and 49th MechanizedBrigade, June 43
7th Guards - from 2nd Mechanized Corps, July 43
8th Guards - from 3rd Mechanized Corps, October 43
9th Guards - from 5th Mechanized Corps, September 44

Mechanized Corps
1st - from 27th Tank Corps, September 42
2nd - formed September 42; became 7th Guards Mechanized Corps, July 43
3rd - from 8th Tank Corps, September 42; became 8th Guards Mechanized Corps, October 43
4th - from 28th Tank Corps, September 42; became 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps, December 42, no new 4th MC reformed afterwards.
5th - from 22nd Tank Corps, September 42; became 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, September 44
6th - from 14th Tank Corps, November 42; became 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, January 43
7th - formed January 1943 (was slow to form not being fully formed until September 1943)
8th - formed February 1943 (also slow to form, not fully formed until October 1943)
9th - formed January 43, but didn't become fuly formed until September 1943
10th - formed December 1944 in the Far Eastern Theater. Wasn't fully formed until June 1945
(13th) – actually the reorganized 13th Tank Corps November 42, became 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, January 43

Guards Tank Corps
1st Guards - from 26th Tank Corps, December 42
2nd Guards - from 24th Tank Corps, December 42
3rd Guards - from 7th Tank Corps, December 1942
4th Guards - from 17th Tank Corps, January 43
5th Guards - from 4th Tank Corps, February 43
6th Guards - from 12th Tank Corps, July 43
7th Guards - from 15th Tank Corps, July 43
8th Guards - from 2nd Tank Corps, September 43
9th Guards - from 3rd Tank Corps, November 44
10th Guards - from 30th Tank Corps, October 43
11th Guards - from 6th Tank Corps, October 43
12th Guards - from 16th Tank Corps, November 1944!

Tank Corps
1st - formed March 42
2nd - formed March 42; became 8th Guards Tank Corps, September 43
3rd - formed March 42; became 9th Guards Tank Corps, November 1944
4th - formed March 42; became 5th Guards Tank Corps, February 43
5th - formed April 42
6th - formed April 42; became 11th Guards Tank Corps, October 43 (no new 6TC reformed)
7th - formed April 42; became 3rd Guards Tank Corps, December 42 (no new 7TC reformed)
8th - formed May 42; became 3rd Mechanized Corps, September 42
9th - formed May 42
10th - formed April 42
11th - formed May 42
12th - formed May 42; became 6th Guards Tank Corps, July 43
13th - formed April 42; became 13th Mechanized Corps, November 42
14th - formed May 42; became 6th Mechanized Corps November 42
15th - formed May 42; became 7th Guards Tank Corps, July 43
16th - formed June 42; became 12th Guards Tank Corps, November 44 (no new 16TC formed)
17th - formed June 42; became 4th Guards Tank Corps, January 43 (no new 17TC formed)
18th - formed June 42
19th - formed December 42
20th - formed December 42
21st – fully formed by the end of April 42, destroyed at Kharkov June 42 and never reformed [note: Interestingly enough, this unit began as 1st Mech Corps, but was redesignated 21TC by the end of April. This created confusion amongst it's parent unit, Southwestern Front command, as they seem to have not been aware of the new force structure developments. As a result, the 21TC was referred to as a mech corps for about a month]
22nd - formed April 42; became 5th Mechanized Corps, September 42
23rd - formed April 42
24th - formed April 42; became 2nd Guards Tank Corps, December 42 (no new 24TC formed)
25th - formed June 42
26th - formed July 42; became 1st Guards Tank Corps, December 42
27th - Began forming in June, but formation was never completed; became 1st Mechanized Corps, September 42
28th - formed July 42; became 4th Mechanized Corps, September 42
29th - formed February 43
30th - formed March 43; became 10th Guards Tank Corps, October 43
31st - formed May 43

Thanks to all for bringing this up. It added to my knowledge, anyway.

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Originally posted by Rich:
I think that is due to the supposed second formations of the 6th, 7th, 16th, 17th, and 24th Tank Corps and the 4th Mechanized Corps after the originals had been retitled Guards. Are you saying those corps did not have a second formation?

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Originally posted by Anders E.Frankson:
Hello Greg
Just a minor detail.
On 9th Guards Tank Corps You missed changing the Year to 1944, thus it should read november 1944.
You made the change correctly on 3rd Tank Corps.

Anders

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Originally posted by Greg LG:
Thought I should address this directly as well. Yes, Rich, there is no indication of any tank or mech corps being reformed once an existing tank or mech corps was designated a Guards unit. I'm aware of this occurring quite a number of times with rifle divisions, but there's nothing I know of that even hints at this with tank or mech corps.

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