During fierce fighting in the Veshenskaya area, parts of the division along with other Soviet units repelled the approach of the German forces.
For its efforts in capturing the city of Kramatorsk on 6 September 1943 it was awarded the honorific name 'Kramatorsk' on 8 September 1943 by the Order of High Command No.9 on the same day[6] During the liberation of Kramatorsk the division was supported by the 5th Guards Independent Motor-Rifle Brigade and the 243rd Independent Tank Regiment[7] The division also supported clearing the city of Zaporozhye of the enemy on 14 October 1943, in conjunction with other units.
For the skilful performance of combat tasks and courage of the division's troops it was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree, on 13 February 1944.
The division was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd degree on 20 April 1944 for its courage and heroism in clearing the city of Odessa.
Pursuing the retreating German troops, the division crossed the Soviet-Romanian border on August, 28th near the city of Reni, 25 kilometres to the East of Galați.
[10] The last stages of the division's combat path during World War II was the participation in the Vienna Offensive's Győr Offensive operation (Russian: Дьерская наступательная), during which the division's active and resolute actions to the north of Vienna led to the Red Army's capture of the Austrian capital on 13 April 1945.
In December, 1972, for excellence in protection of Soviet territory and high marks in combat and political preparedness, the division was awarded the Minister of Defence of the USSR's Pendant for Courage and Military Valour.
On 19 November 1990 the division had the following equipment: [11] Two former battalions of 179th Guards Motor-Rifle Regiment, (now independent) located at Dubossary and Bendery have carried out peacekeeping functions together with Moldavian and Transnistrian soldiers since May 1996 as part of the OGRF.