Like the 335th Rifle Division, this formation was assigned to the southern sector of the Soviet-German front during the winter counteroffensive, but was encircled and destroyed during the German spring offensive that formed the Izium Pocket.

In October, while still barely formed, the division was assigned to 57th Army, which was also just in the process of forming-up in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command at Stalingrad.

In January, 1942 the division went into combat with its Army in Southwestern Front, taking part in the Barvenkovo–Lozovaya Offensive which led to the creation of the Izium salient south of Kharkov.

On May 23 the 3rd Panzer Division, which had been freed up by the collapse of the Soviet offensive north of Kharkov, drove into its positions across the Donets, causing havoc.

In the event this was forestalled two days later when the "spent" Germans launched a renewed drive to the southwest and then to the east; this attack was halted at the gates of Ordzhonikidze on November 5, at which time the division was serving in 9th Army.

He was first replaced by Col. S. F. Sklyarov for about a month until Col. Grigorii Osipovich Lyaskin was appointed to command of the division on March 8; on April 28 he was promoted to Major General.

Also in April the combat path of the 337th veered sharply northwards as it and its Army were transferred to the Steppe Military District in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, backing up the Soviet forces deployed in the Kursk salient.

On April 8 it was further honored for its role in forcing a crossing of the Dniestr River and the subsequent capture of the city of Beltsi with the award of the Order of the Red Banner.

[13] In Marshal I. S. Konev's plan for a breakthrough of the German-Romanian front west of Iasi in the second week of April, his 40th and 27th Armies were designated as his shock groups.

Regardless of the success of this reconnaissance, the remainder of 33rd Corps, with armor support, was to attack the Romanian 18th Infantry Division between Tautesti and Vinaturi early the next day.

On the 26th, forces of the 52nd Army would join the attack, backed by additional tanks and the 337th in support, all in the aim of capturing the enemy's defenses at Vulturi, 6 km due north of Iasi.

In the event, the reconnaissance made few gains, while the main attack managed to wedge up to 2–3 km into the Romanian defenses east of Tautesti before reinforcements from the German 79th and 46th Infantry, and 24th Panzer Divisions forced 33rd Corps back to its jumping-off positions by the end of April 28.

The attack hit the boundary between 33rd Corps and 52nd Army and collapsed the 337th's defenses around Horlesti, bypassing that town and moving towards Zahorna, which was held by the division's second echelon rifle regiment.

Counterattacks by these Axis forces were held off, and in the afternoon were crushed; despite this, 33rd Corps, which was tasked to take Mare Ridge, only reached its forward edge by the end of the day.

On August 22 the 337th, taking advantage of the 5th Guards Tank Corps operating ahead of it, broke into the clear and advanced far to the south, reaching the Birlad River and crossing it near Todiresti.