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People's Liberation Army
Order of Battle

by Xinhui

Shenyang Military Region (2/3)

Liaoning Military District

Cat C, Low readiness rate, Boarder patrol only

- 191 Infantry Brigade

Part of Central China Field Army, 64th Army Group during the Civil War.
Was Division

Received new unit designation in 1949.1, joint Liaoning MD as brigade in 1998

39 Group Army (81043) Yingkou

Category A (heavy) First PLA unit to enter the Korea war, and one of the last to retune. Took part in the Tiananman crack down of 1989.

Converted into Group army in September 1982 with 38th GA.

Commander Yan Feng

The 39th GA is responsible for the defense of North-Eastern China’s heavy industrial base and for reinforcement of all other group armies in the Shenyang MR

39 Group Army is currently stationed in Shenyang. It is an Ace (A) formation, in addition to being one of the three heavy GA of the PLA.

It is also one of the oldest formation in PLA. It was created during the Second Revolutionary War as one of the three formations of the Red Army back in 1920s. It acted as the vanguard troops of the Long March. In 1934, it and 26 and 27 Armies formed the 15 Army Group, and took ten months to link together two soviets (communist controlled areas) in Shaanxi. 15 Army Group was one of the three main Red Army formation of CCP at that time. The 15 Army Group was assigned to the 1st Red Area Army in 1935 and took part in all the military campaign in Northern China. During the anti-Japanese war, it is was also one of the first formations to engage the Japanese regular forces.

On October 31, 1950, elements of the 39 GA were the first PLA formation to fight against the American 1st Cavalry Division, and to score the first PLA victory against the division. On November 11, 1950, it defected the American 25 Infantry Division, capturing 115 soldiers of the 3rd Company, 24 Infantry Regiment belonging to 25 Division. The prisoners included the first African-American POW captured by PLA. Elements of the 39 GA took parts in almost every campaign of the Korea War.

On October 28, 1990 Jiang Zemin personally review the troops of 39 GA after it won as one the Ace formation of the PLA under heavy snow. In the winter of 1996, thousands of motor transport carried the 39 GA across the grass land to Tibet. The exercise included seven reconnaissance companies acting as pathfinders. Remote control recon drones, infrared, GPS, and much other modern equipment were used to aid their mission.

- 3 Armored Division (81378) Siping/Liaoning

RDF

Was Tank Division, converted inot armored Division in 1998

The 3rd armored division has 3 armored regiments, the 9th, 10th and 12th. 1 regiment has Type-79 MBT and the other 2 have Type-59B/59D MBTs.

It is interesting that when this unit was still the 3rd tank division, it had 4 tank regiments, 1 mechanized infantry regiment and 1 SP artillery regiments. The 4 tank regiments were the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. In the late 1980s and early 1990s all 4 regiments were equipped with Type-59II MBT's.

It appeared that the 11th regiment was later transferred to the 116th mechanized division as its armored regiment. Today within the 3rd division, there are 3 armored regiments, 1 SP artillery regiment and 1 AAA regiment.

The equipment mix-up of the 3 armored regiments is Type-79 (about 1 regiment) and Type-59II (about 2 regiments) MBT today. About 1 regiment of Type-59II's were transferred to the 190th mechanized infantry division armored regiment. Late pictures and TV captures show that Type-86A AFV has replaced Type-63 APC in these units.

The SP artillery regiment almost certainly has the standard Type-83 152-mm SPG and Type-89 122-mm SP MRL, and possibly SP AAA's.

Little is known of the equipment in the AAA regiment.

With 1 amored division and 2 mechanized infantry divisions, the 39th GA certainly is the most heavily armored GA in the PLA. With the first 40 Type-98A MBTs already in service with the 6th armored division, it would not be long before the 3rd armored division also receives this new MBT.

– Andrew KC

- 115 Mechanized Infantry Division (81167) Gaixian/Liaoning

It's 2 motorized regiments are: 343rd and 345th. 344th regiment took part in Korea war no longer in service

Part of 4th Field Army 39th Army Group during the Civil War

Received new unit designation in 1948.11

343 regiment is a Red-Army regiment.

- 116 Mechanized Infantry Division (81178) Haicheng/ Liaoning

346th, 347th, 348th Regts

Part of 4th Field Army 39th Army Group during the Civil War

Red Army Division (was 344th brigade) Received new unit designation in 1948.11

347th regiment is a Red Army Regiment. Its 7th company is honored as the “Iron 7th Company“348 regiment’s 4th company is the honored “Sharp Shooter Company”

The organization of the 116th mechanized division is very similar to that of the 112th division: armored regiment with Type-59B MBT, 347th regiment with Type-86A AFV, and 348th regiment with Type-89I APC. -- Andrew KC

11th armored regiment of the 3rd armored div was later transferred to the 116th mechanized division as its armored regiment

- 117 Mechanized Infantry Division

349th, 350th, 351st Regts

Part of 4th Field Army 39th Army Group during the Civil War

Received new unit designation in 1948.11Transferred to PAP

- 190 Mechanized Infantry Division (81233)

RDF

Part of Central China Field Army, 64th Army Group during the Civil War.
Received new unit designation in 1949.1, reformed as 1st Mech Infantry Division in 1955, after it took over all the entire equipment of the Soviet 7th Motor-rifle division.

It was direct controlled by CMC’s armor Head Quarter. Returned as 190 Mech infantry division in 1985 of 64th GA. Assigned to 39th GA in 1999 and downsized as brigade, when 64th GA was disbanded, nickname “storm-rain”

569’s 3rd battalion is honored as the Dao Feng Shan battalion.

The armored regiment of the 190th mechanized infantry Division is equipped with Type-59II MBT; The 2 mechanized infantry regiments of this division are equipped with Type-63 APC.

About 1 regiment of Type-59II's were transferred to the 190th mechanized infantry division armored regiment when the one of 3rd armroed division upgrade its tank regiment with type 70 MBT

--Andrew KC

- Unidentified Artillery Brigade (81301) Linzhou/Liaoning

- Unidentified AD Brigade (81058) Fushun/Liaoning

SAM regiment equipped with HQ-7 SAM
--Andrew KC

- Unidentified Engineering Regiment

- Unidentified Communication Regiment Dashiqiao/Liaoning

- Unidentified NBC Regiment

New Unit number 65152. Andrew KC

- Unidentified Special Operations Unit

- 9 Army Helicopter Regiment (81053)

Created in march 1988. The 39th GA helicopter regiment has the serial number LH99XXX, with 10xWZ-9, 10xZ-9 and 8xMil-171. --Andrew KC

- Unidentified EW Regiment

- Unidentified Transportation Regiment

- Unidentified Armor Recon Unit

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