It was formed from the 9th Airborne Corps in August 1942 as a result of the Soviet need for troops to fight in the Battle of Stalingrad.

It was held in reserve, but after the situation around Stalingrad worsened due to Case Blue the ten airborne corps were converted into infantry and sent to the front.

On the night of 26 September the division crossed the Dnieper and secured a bridgehead on the right bank of the river near Soshinovka northwest of Dnipropetrovsk.

Developing the offensive, the 36th Guards took the railway station of Verkhnodniprovsk, contributing to the capture of the city of the same name on 22 October.

For successful actions in the crossing of the Southern Bug and the capture of Pervomaysk, the division was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class, on 1 April.

For exemplary actions in the breakthrough of strong fortified defenses and the capture of the Aszód city and rail junction the 106th Guards Rifle Regiment received the Order of Suvorov, 3rd class.

In addition, its 108th and 106th Guards Rifle Regiments received the Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Budapest honorific, respectively, on the same day.

[2] From January 1945, the division, transferred to the 26th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, fought in the Balaton Defensive Operation and the Vienna Offensive.