It first served in the winter counteroffensive west of Moscow, and later in the bitter fighting around the Rzhev salient, but was moved north late in 1942.

The division ended the war in Lithuania, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket.

The 379th began forming in August 1941 in the Urals Military District[1] at Molotov in the Perm Oblast, based on the first wartime shtat (table of organization and equipment) for rifle divisions.

As an indication of how short of equipment the District was at this time, it was considered noteworthy that the division managed to pick up 300 brand new PPSh-41 submachine guns and 100 new ZIS-5 3-ton trucks on its way to the front.

[3] Between 1 and 3 December this Army was preparing to launch its part of the strategic counteroffensive west of Moscow by partially regrouping its forces and carrying out combat reconnaissance.

It was also being strengthened with new forces from the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, including the 379th, which disembarked from 2 to 5 December at Taldom and concentrated behind the Army front.

The next day this enemy grouping, having suffered heavy losses, fell back rapidly along the road to Dorino as the 1st Shock and 30th Armies were completing the encirclement of Klin and the 379th seized Kopylovo.

[6] Beginning on 8 January 1942, the Army took part in the Sychyovka-Vyasma Offensive Operation, which was planned "to encircle, and then capture or destroy the enemy's entire Mozhaisk - Gzhatsk - Vyasma grouping", that is, what later became known as the Rzhev salient.

I. S. Konev, ordered 30th Army to move from the Front's left flank to its right; this brought it to a position facing south at the north end of the salient, near Rzhev itself, where it would remain for most of the ongoing fighting.

[11] In the first planning document for the upcoming Operation Mars, issued by the Front headquarters on the same date the 379th is identified as one of the divisions that would be assigned to the forces of 20th Army that would attack and seize Sychyovka.

In the event the division saw little action in this offensive, losing only 182 killed and 527 wounded from 25 November to the date it left 20th Army.

[14] Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts began planning a new offensive to break the German blockade of that city in November 1942.

The commander of 8th Army, Lt. Gen. F. N. Starikov, organized two shock groups, each formed in two echelons, to attack north and south of the Mga–Kirishi rail line.

The first echelon troops captured the forward German trenches but then faced stiff resistance including air strikes, antitank guns and mines, and the marshy terrain that bogged down the tanks.

The 67th Army's 30th Guards Rifle Corps was assigned to take the village and the nearby heights, which it accomplished in just 30 minutes following an innovative artillery preparation and over 700 air sorties.

This part of the offensive made little progress over three days in spite of the explosion of a Soviet mine that pulverized the 254th's Strong Point Olga and wiped out a company.

6th Guards began its attack on 10 November attempting to cut the long German-held salient from Novosokolniki south nearly to Nevel and link up with 3rd Shock, with 97th Corps covering the right flank.

[21] 2nd Baltic Front began a new offensive to eliminate the Novosokolniki - Nevel salient on the way to Idritsa on 16 December; in preparation for this the 379th was moved back to the 97th Corps.

The attack made almost no headway against the fortified German lines, but by late on 27 December Hitler was convinced the salient was a "useless appendage" and its evacuation was finished by 8 January 1944.

The troops who participated in the liberation of Daugavpils and Rēzekne, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 27 July 1944, and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns.