The original 92nd completed forming on November 28, 1936, in the Far Eastern Army, largely based on the Barabash Fortified Region (a static unit for border defense). Other personnel came from the 40th Rifle Division and smaller units in Primorsky Krai. The rifle regiments were initially numbered as the 274th, 275th, and 276th. The division was under command of Kombrig Lyudvit Matveevich Gavro, who had previously led the 50th Rifle Division and the Barabash Fortified Region. On July 1, 1937, he was arrested as part of the Great Purge, and would be condemned to death and executed on May 23, 1938, although he would be rehabilitated in 1956. He was replaced by Col. Filipp Fedosevich Zhmachenko, who was promoted to Kombrig on February 17, 1938. In June he too was arrested and was held until July 1939, when he became chief of the Combat Training Section of the Kharkov Military District. He later led several armies and would be promoted to the rank of colonel general just after the end of the war with Germany, while also being named a Hero of the Soviet Union. On January 31, 1940, Col. Andrei Nikolaevich Larichev took over the division and he would lead it through most of the rest of the first formation.
In September 1939, for security and intelligence reasons, all the rifle divisions had their regiments' numbers "scrambled", and the 92nd emerged with the following order of battle:
- 22nd Rifle Regiment
- 203rd Rifle Regiment
- 317th Rifle Regiment
- 60th Artillery Regiment
- 70th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (until January 7, 1942)
- 77th Antitank Battalion
- 163rd Antiaircraft Battery (later 15th Antiaircraft Battalion)
- 409th Mortar Battalion
- 50th Reconnaissance Battalion
- 96th Sapper Battalion
- 13th Signal Battalion
- 7th Medical/Sanitation Battalion
- 106th Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Platoon
- 149th Motor Transport Company (later 497th Motor Transport Battalion)
- 53rd Field Bakery
- 70th Divisional Veterinary Hospital
- 998th Field Postal Station
On June 22, 1941, the division was in Far Eastern Front, part of the 39th Rifle Corps of 25th Army. It was assigned the 388th Tank Battalion (54 T-26s; its reconnaissance battalion already contained six of these) on October 10 and on October 14 it began moving west on the Trans-Siberian Railway. It had over 13,000 personnel on strength, plus the 60 tanks, 40 45mm antitank guns, 140 artillery pieces (76mm or 152mm) and mortars, eight 76mm antiaircraft guns plus 20 antiaircraft machine guns. The rifle companies had an average strength of 100 each.
Tikhvin Offensive
The German XXXIX Motorized Corps, with infantry support, had crossed the Volkhov River on October 16 in an effort to capture Budogoshch and Tikhvin through nearly roadless terrain already covered in 9-10cm of snow. Taking the latter would deepen the encirclement of Leningrad, making supply across Lake Ladoga impossible and possibly also linking up with the Finnish Army. Despite the limited mobility Budogoshch was taken on October 23. The STAVKA ordered its 4th Army (which was not under any Front command) to be reinforced, including with the 92nd and the 60th Tank Division from its reserves. The 92nd began arriving at Tikhvin in the last days of the month, offloading at Taltsi, Khottsi, and Nebolchi on October 30.
Postwar
At the start of May the division was still under 115th Corps. Beginning on May 6 it advanced with its Army in the Prague offensive, and took part in the final encirclement of Army Group Center.
According to STAVKA Order No. 11096 of May 29, 1945, part 8, the 92nd is listed as one of the rifle divisions to be "disbanded in place". It was disbanded in accordance with the directive in July 1945.
Soviet Union
Red Army (1939-46)
