The 170th Rifle Division was raised in 1939 as a standard Red Army rifle (infantry) division, as part of the prewar buildup of the Army. During July and August 1941, it gave very effective service in the battles around Velikiye Luki until it was so severely depleted that it had to be disbanded. A new 170th was formed between December 1941 and January 1942. From this point the division had a distinguished but relatively uncomplicated combat path, fighting in the central part of the Soviet-German front. It was given credit for the liberation of Rechytsa in late 1943, and ended the war in the conquest of East Prussia.