85th Guards Rifle Division

The 85th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in April 1943, based on the 2nd formation of the 118th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. Late during the conflict it became known as one of the "Latvian Guards" rifle divisions due to its role in the liberation of that state.

It was redesignated after the Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive of March during which the German 9th Army finally evacuated the Rzhev salient. While it formed in 31st Army the division was soon assigned to the 15th Guards Rifle Corps of 30th Army, which itself was redesignated as 10th Guards Army in May. The division would serve under these headquarters for the duration of the war. It re-entered the fighting in August during the offensive for the liberation of Smolensk and once this was accomplished it took part in the grinding offensives toward Orsha through the autumn and into the winter. Prior to the summer offensives of 1944 the entire Army was moved northward, becoming part of the 2nd Baltic Front. After breaking through the German defenses along the Velikaya River in July the 85th Guards entered Latvia and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its role in the liberation of Rēzekne. As the Baltic offensive continued the division made slow progress through swampy terrain that German commanders considered impassable, gradually drawing closer to the Latvian capital, and winning its name as an honorific on October 13. During the remainder of the war it was part of the Kurland Group of Forces, containing and wearing down the former Army Group North in the Courland pocket. Despite an admirable record the 85th Guards was gradually disbanded from mid-1945 to mid-1946.