History

It was formed on 13 July 1941 based on 52nd Rifle Corps as a Stavka

Stavka

Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...

 Reserve. In the beginning army included 119th Rifle Division, 242nd Rifle Division, 243rd NKVD

NKVD

The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....

 Rifle Division, 251st NKVD Rifle Division, 51st Tank Division, artillery and other units. The army was built around a solid core of NKVD border guard servicemen.The army's first commander Maj-Gen Khomenko was former commander of Ukrainian District of NKVD

NKVD

The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....

 Border Guards.

On 15 July 1941 the army was transferred to the Front of the Reserve Armies and conducted defensive works on the defensive line running through Selizharovo

Selizharovo

Selizharovo is an urban locality and the administrative center of Selizharovsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia situated at the confluence of the Selizharovka and the Volga Rivers. Population:...

-Olenino-Wasiliewo.

From the end of June to August 1941 the army was part of the Western Front (from 21 July) and took part in the Battle of Smolensk

Battle of Smolensk (1941)

The Battle of Smolensk was a largely successful encirclement operation by the German Army Group Centre's 2nd Panzer Group led by Heinz Guderian and the 3rd Panzer Group led by Hermann Hoth against parts of four Soviet Fronts during World War II...

 (10 July-10 September). During battle army's forces striked at Dukhovszczina from the region south-west of Bielyj. Army attacking on flanks of the German Ninth Army stopped and sapped the strength of the enemy forces.

In September-October army conducted defensive operations in region south-west of Bielyj on Rzhev

Rzhev

Rzhev is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:...

 direction.

On 17 October 1941 army was included into Kalinin Front and took part in Kalinin

Kalinin

Kalinin , or Kalinina , is a Russian surname, derived from the word kalina , and may refer to:People with the surname...

 Defensive Operation (5 December 1941-7 January 1942).

On 18 November army was again included into Western Front

Western Front

Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...

. As its army fought in the Klin-Solnecznogorsk Defensive Operation (15 November-5 December) and from 6 December on in the Klin-Solnecznogorsk Offensive Operation (6-25 December). During the operation 30th Army together with 1st Shock Army liberated Klin (15 December)and destroyed large German units.
As a part of Kalinin Front (from 17 December 1941) during January-April 1942 army participated in Rzhev-Vyazma

Vyazma

Vyazma is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk and Mozhaysk. Throughout its turbulent history, the city defended western approaches to the city of Moscow...

 Strategic Operation (8 January-20 April) In the end of operation army troops reached nearly to Rzhev and went on to the defence.

On 1 March 1942 the army consisted of the 174th

17th Armored Brigade (Ukraine)

The 17th Guards Armored Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. Full name of the Brigade is 17th Separate Guards Kryvyi Rih orders of Red Banner and Suvorov Brigade. It was formally known as 17th Guards Tank Division....

, 178th, 243rd, 348th, 359th, 363rd, 371st, 375th, and 379th Rifle Divisions, and the 75, 76, 139, 145, 146, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, and 222nd Separate Ski Brigades.

Later (from 31 August included into Western Front) until the end of 1942 army defended and strengthened its position going from to time to time on the offensive.

On March 1943 troops of the army participated in the Rzhev-Vyazma Operation (2-31 March) during which course it liberated Rzhev and on 1 April reached the line Nefedovschina-Pantiukchy where it stopped and dug into defensive positions.

On 1 May Army was reformed into 10th Guards Army

10th Guards Army (Soviet Union)

The 10th Guards Army was a Soviet Guards formation which fought against Germany during World War II under the command of several generals. Formed in 1943, the army fought under various headquarters and ended the war besieging cut-off German forces in Latvia...

Army Commanders:

General Major of NKVD Khomenko W.A. (July-November 1941 )

General Major Lelyschenko D. D. (November 1941-November 1942)

General Major from February 1943 General Lieutanant Kolpakchi W.Ia (November 1942-April 1943)

Members of the Army's Military Soviet:

Brigade Commissar Abramov N.W. (June 1941-February 1942)

General Major Doronin Ja. A. (February 1942 -April 1943

Chiefs Of Staff

Lieutanant Colonel Baderko A.G. (June-August 1941

Colonel Winogradov A.I. (August-November 1941)

General Major of the Artillery Khetagurov G.I. (November 1941-December 1942)

Colonel from February 1943 General Major Sosedov L.B (December 1942-April !943.