Organization of Self-Propelled Guns Units

May 17, 2003

SU-76&SU-122 mixed regiments (1942-43)

#08/158, 1942

#08/191, 1943

SU-76 regiments

#010/456

#010/484

SU-85, SU-100 regiments

#010/483

#010/462

SU-122 regiments

#010/453

SU-152 regiments

#08/218

#010/482

Separate SP Gun Battalion of rifle division (SU-76)

#04/568

• Light SP gun Brigades
• Middle SP Gun Brigades
• Comments
• SP guns supply from the USA in 1943-44

First two SP gun regiments were formed by Staff #08/158 in Dec. '42 (1433rd,1434th)

Was introduced in the beginning of 1943

Was introduced in the spring 1943

Was introduced in April '43.

A Heavy SP gun regiments used Staff #010/454 differed from the previous one by introducing KV commander's tank and BA-64 recon armored car.

In the middle of 1943 in all SP regiments the number of men was reduced.

Was introduced in October '43.

Was introduced in the autumn '43

Was introduced in October '43. Till Feb. '44 all SU-76 regiments were reequipped by this staff.

In the beginning of 1944 was introduced the Staff #04/434 (184 men, 13 SU-76). It differed from the #05/568 (introduced a bit later) by the number of SP guns in a battery (4 in #04/434 vs. 5 in #04/568)

Such battalions were included into several dozens of rifle and airborne divisions instead of common anti-tank battalions. (It should be mentioned that they had the same numbers as anti-tank battalions). Besides such formations were included in rifle divisions of Polish troops.

As at the beginning of 1944 the number of separate SP guns regiments exceeded 200 it caused the formation of light SP guns brigades.

Introduced in Jan. '44.

According to this Staff were formed the next Light SP gun SCCR Brigades:

6th (former 94th tank brigade);

8th (former 15th tank brigade);

12th (former 86th tank brigade);

14 (former 140th tank brigade).

Subordination:

6th - since Feb., 1944 into the 6th Tank Army of the 2nd Ukrain Front. Was reorginised in 51th Guards SP gun Brigade

8th - since Jan., 1944 into Belorussian Front. Finished the war in the 52th Army of the 1st Ukrain Front

12th - since Apr., 1944 into the 69th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front.

14th - Didn't took part in the war.

Three brigades were equipped with lend-lease SP guns T-48 (SU-57 in Soviet classification):

16th (former 60th Tank Brigade); Staff #010/408 (3 Battalions (3 batteries in each) 20 SU-57 + 5 Vallentine IX tanks)

19th (former 196th Tank Brigade); Staff #010/508 (Differed from #010/408 only by replacement of Vallentines to SU-57)

22th (former 236th Tank Brigade); Staff #010/408 (3 Battalions (3 batteries in each) 20 SU-57 + 5 Vallentine IX tanks)

Subordination (All brigades operated since July, 7'44 on the 1st Ukrain Front):

16th - into the 3rd Guards Tank Army;

19th - into the 1st Guards Tank Army;

22th - was directly subordinated to the Front Headquarters. Finished the war into the 4th Guards Army as 70th Guards SP Gun Brigade.

Was introduced in December '44.

According to this staff were formed the next Medium SP guns SCCR Brigades:

207th (former 1st Separate Tank Brigade);

208th (former 118th Separate Tank Brigade);

209th (former 209th Tank Brigade)

231th

Subordination:

207th - since Feb. '45 - 2nd Ukrain Front. Finished the war into 3rd Ukrain Front;

208th - since Feb, '45 - 2nd Ukrain Front;

209th - since Feb. '45 - 3rd Ukrain Front.

231th - Didn't took part in German campaign.

The only Heavy SP gun SCCR Brigade was 66th Guards Heavy SP gun Brigade. It was formed using troops of 143th Separate Tank Brigade in Mar. 01'45. It's structure was equal to the Staff of medium tank brigades. It was equipped with ISU-122. (1804 men, 65 ISU-122, 3 SU-76).

Comments

1. First light SP gun regiments were equipped by SU-76. Later all SU-76 must be considered to be SU-76M
2. By the Staff #010/462 1944 (SU-85) (318 men, 21 SU-85) were included a submachine-gun company and engineer platoon. Organization of regiments, equipped with SU-100 (since Nov. 1944) was the same.
3. By the Staff #010/461 1944 (SU-152) (21 SU-152) were included a submachine-gun company and engineer platoon. This Staff was similar to #010/462 for SU-85.
4. On Mar. 22, the 1223rd and 1239th Separate Tank Battalions were reorginised in 1223, 1239 SP gun Supreme Command-in-Chief Reserve regiments by Staff #010/484. They were the single regiments equipped with American SP guns M10 "Wolverine". Total amount of M10 SP guns supply (only in 1944)- 52 units
5. In spring 1944 all heavy SP gun regiments were equipped by new Staff with ISU-122 and ISU-152. All of them became Guards ones.
6. In 1944 there were formed several dozens of separate recon companies for a tank and mechanised brigades. Each contained one battery of SU-57 (4 units). Motorcycle battalions and regiment included one battalion of SU-57.
7. Each cavalry corps since the middle of 1943 had one SP gun regiment (SU-76).
8. Tank armies since Apr., 10 '43 had two SP gun regiments (Staff #08/191). Since the beginning of 1944 each tank army had one SP gun brigade (equipped with SU-76 or SU-57).
9. Since Aug., 02, 1944 in the structure of fifteen separate anti-tank SCCR brigades was introduced one SP gun Regiment of SU-85 (Staff #010/462, 21 units). But there were formed only 8 such regiments.
10. On May, 9'45 Soviet Army had: 12 SP gun Brigades (7 light, 4 medium, 1 heavy), 256 SP gun Regiments (119 light, 81 medium, 56 heavy), 70 Separate SP gun Battalions (inside rifle divisions), 21 Battalion (in light SP gun brigades)

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SP guns supply from the USA in 1943-44

Abbreviations:

SCCR - Supreme Command-in-Chief Reserve

SP - Self-Propelled