The army advanced westward and participated in the Battle of Debrecen and Budapest Offensive during the fall.
The army was formed on 1 August 1941 by order of the commander of the Transcaucasian Military District, dated 23 July 1941 based on the headquarters of the 3rd Rifle Corps.
Its first commander was Lieutenant General and Hero of the Soviet Union Stepan Chernyak.
[6] However, Sergatskov reportedly sent only small forces to observe the passes, allowing German troops to capture them.
[2] During January and February 1943, the army fought in the North Caucasian Strategic Offensive.
Leselidze was promoted to command 47th Army on 25 January[7] and was replaced by Major General Ivan Rosly.
On 22 March, Ryzhov became 47th Army commander[10] and was replaced by Major General Vasily Glagolev the next day.
On 1 June, the army became part of the Southwestern Front but was sent back to Stavka reserve on 24 July.
[2] On 24 August 1943 the army participated in the Donbass Strategic Offensive and crossed the Dnieper River.
On 28 August, it was committed south of Zmiiv, but was unable to dislodge German troops from their positions.
On 5 October 1943 the army fought a defensive battle to retain bridgeheads across the Dnieper River east of Dniprodzerzhynsk.
The army then fought in the Krivoi Rog Offensive and captured Dniproderzhynsk on 25 October.
It captured Krivoy Rog on 22 February along with the 37th Army and crossed the Inhulets north of Shirokoe.
By 14 April 1944, the army had reached the line of Leontina and Palanca at the mouth of the Dniester and seized a bridgehead southeast of Raskayevitsy.
[2] On 27 May 1944, Glagolev was transferred to command 31st Army and was replaced by Lieutenant General Ivan Shlemin.
10th Guards Rifle Corps attacked through Vršac and cleared Pančevo by 5 October against weak opposition.
37th Rifle Corps advanced from Timișoara towards Kikinda, destroying elements of the 4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division and Hungarian forces.
On 5 December, the army's 37th Rifle Corps attacked positions of the 271st Volksgrenadier Division south of Budapest.
The army cleared Ercsi on 9 December and linked up with the 3rd Ukrainian Front at Lake Velence.
[25] The 46th Army conducted attacks on Buda until 3 January, when it was directed to prevent breakouts.