The 15th Tank Corps of the Soviet Union's Red Army fought in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 during World War II, participating in the capture of Grodno and the Augustów Forest. The tank corps was re-formed in 1942 under Major General Vasily Koptsov as part of the 3rd Guards Tank Army (Soviet Guards insignia pictured) and saw combat in the Kozelsk Offensive, taking heavy losses in proportion to the territory gained. The corps was transferred to the southern front in the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive during January 1943, where it helped encircle thousands of Axis troops around the river Don. In February 1943, the unit fought in Operation Star, capturing the key city of Kharkov in eastern Ukraine. After the Soviet advance outran its supply lines, the corps was worn down and virtually destroyed by a German counteroffensive in the Third Battle of Kharkov. It was later rebuilt as part of the 3rd Guards Tank Army and fought in Operation Kutuzov.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Tank_Corps

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1897:

Ranavalona III, the last sovereign ruler of the Kingdom of Madagascar, was deposed by French military forces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_III

1904:

The most successful football club in Portugal, S.L. Benfica, was founded in Lisbon as Sport Lisboa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.L._Benfica

1963:

Chicago alderman Benjamin F. Lewis was murdered in his office by unknown assailants two days after having been reelected. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_F._Lewis

1985:

The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army launched a mortar attack on a Royal Ulster Constabulary station in Newry, Northern Ireland, killing nine people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Newry_mortar_attack

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

carbonado: 1. (dated) Meat or fish that has been scored and broiled. […] 2. A dark, non-transparent, impure form of polycrystalline diamond (also containing graphite and amorphous carbon) used in drilling. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/carbonado

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Let us give Nature a chance; she knows her business better than we do.   --Michel de Montaigne https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne