Two senior Soviet military leaders served with the division in its early years; Vasily Konstantinovich Blucher, later famous for his commands in the Far East, commanded the division from 22 September 1918 to 15 January 1919, and Konstantin Rokossovsky, later Marshal of the Soviet Union, commanded one of the division's regiments in 1919–1920.

On 22 June 1941, the division was stationed at the Soviet-Romanian border on the river Prut at Sculeni (Calarasi, Frontier District Number 5).

On 5 July the division held positions at the front from Popovka to Lipovanka.

Then the division was involved in defensive and offensive battles on the Rostov axis, holding the line on the river Mius.

In January 1942 the division crossed the Mius and in March 1942 participated in the attack on Taganrog.

From the second half of July 1942 the division conducted a fighting retreat in the Caucasus.

By the end of October the 30th Rifle Division held the line in the Kaverze River valley, covering the Khrebtovy Pass.