It was assigned to the southern sector of the Soviet-German front, and first saw action in January, 1942, during the winter counteroffensive, but was badly damaged during the German spring offensive that formed the Izium Pocket.

In fact, the cadre of the division survived, and was transferred to the reserves of Transcaucasus Front in that same month, where it slowly replenished as a low-priority unit.

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, near Stalingrad.

After two more months in the reserves the division and its Army moved to join Southern Front, taking part in the winter counter-offensive which led to the creation of the Izium salient south of Kharkov.

The next day the beleaguered divisions were able to link up with the remaining units of 5th Cavalry Corps, but a change in direction of the enemy advance cut them off from the crossings to the left bank of the northern Donets River, where 9th Army was trying to reorganize.

The division retreated into the Caucasus region under this command; in a report from July 25 its status was described as "remnants", and its strength was likely well under 2,000 men at this time.

By October 1 the division is listed as being directly subordinate to the Front, and was apparently out of contact with the enemy, because during the month it was written off as destroyed by German intelligence.