| Unit Name: | 55th Division (1949–53) 55th Infantry Division (1953–60) 55th Army Division (1960–85) 55th Motorized Infantry Division (1985–98) 55th Motorized Infantry Brigade (1998–2017) 55th Light Combined Arms Brigade (2017–) |
| Dates: | 1949.5 - present |
| Country: | People's Republic of China |
| Branch: | People's Liberation Army Ground Force |
| Type: | Combined Arms |
| Size: | Brigade |
| Garrison: | Lhasa, Tibet |
| Battles: | Chinese Civil War, Sino-Indian War, Sino-Vietnamese War |
The 55th Light Combined Arms Brigade, formerly the 55th Division, is a military formation of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force of the People's Republic of China. It is now one of six combined arms brigades of the PLA 77th Group Army.
The 55th Division was created in May 1949 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948,[1] basing on the 12th Brigade of Shannan Military District. Its history could be traced to 24th Brigade, 8th Column of Jinjiluyu Field Army, formed on December 5, 1945. The first division commander was and the first political commissar was Zhang Ming (张明).
The division is part of 19th Corps. Under the flag of 55th division it took part in several major battles in the Chinese Civil War.
In July 1952 the division was put under direct control of the Northwestern Military Region following 19th Corps' disbandment.
In 1953 the division was reorganized and renamed as the 55th Infantry Division . By then the division was composed of:
In April 1960 the division was renamed as the 55th Army Division .
In October 1962 the division took part in the Sino-Indian War. During the war it inflicted 920 casualties to the Indian Army.
In October 1969 the division was transferred to the newly formed 19th Army Corps' control. 306th Artillery Regiment was renamed as Artillery Regiment, 55th Army Division.
In October 1985 the division was transferred to the 21st Army following 19th Army Corps' disbandment. At the same time the division was renamed as the 55th Motorized Infantry Division .
In 1985 Reconnaissance Company, 55th Division took part in recon missions during the Sino-Vietnamese War. During the war it inflicted 120 casualties to PAVN forces, without anyone killed or injured.
From 1985 to 1989 the division maintained as a test-bed Light Motorized Infantry Division:
The test organization seemed not successful, and in August 1989 the division re-organized as a Northern Motorized Infantry Division, Catalogue B: all three infantry regiments reactivated. By the division was composed of:
In October 1998 the division was reduced brigade-sized and renamed as the 55th Motorized Infantry Brigade .
In 2003 the brigade was transferred to the 47th Army.
In 2017 the brigade was reorganized as the 55th Light Combined Arms Brigade and transferred to the 77th Group Army following 47th's disbandment.