Formed in late July 1941, the army spent most of the war guarding the Turkish border and disbanded in fall 1945.

The 45th Army was formed in late July 1941 in the Transcaucasian Military District from the 23rd Rifle Corps.

The army guarded the Turkish border[2][3] and covered Lend-Lease supply routes going through Iran.

[4][5] In October 1941 Andrei Alexandrovich Kharitonov became temporary commander of the army.

The army also included five fortified areas: the 51st at Batumi, the 55th at Leninakan, the 69th at Echmiadzin, the 78th at Akhaltsikhe, and the 116th at Akhalkalaki.