its sacrifice and courage in recapturing vitebsk were recognized as it was bestowed with the honorary title of "vitebskyan" in october 1944. one of the division's artillerymen aramais sarkisyan was killed in combat in belorussia on june 25, 1944, and was recognized as a hero of the soviet union, the highest honorary title for individuals in the soviet union. in the latvian province of the courland peninsula was the final bastion of army group courland. despite repeated attempts to take the region, the german units resisted and successfully fended off red army offensives. in may 1945, the 51st division was sent to courland where it managed to isolate the forces remaining at the peninsula. on may 8, 1945, the remainder the garrison surrendered. the 51st division passed through approximately 7,000 kilometers of former soviet territory and liberated over 600 towns and cities from the axis occupying forces. twenty-one men in the division were recognized as heroes of the soviet union.