▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom , ▁mark ing ▁the ▁largest ▁single ▁unit ▁deployment ▁for ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁since ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁Return ing ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade ▁served ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁consecutive ▁combat ▁operations ▁by ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Guard ▁unit ▁( activ ated ▁for ▁ 2 2 ▁months ▁total ▁with ▁ 1 6 ▁in ▁Ira q ). ▁In ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁re create ▁the ▁Living ▁Red ▁Bull ▁P atch ▁from ▁Camp ▁C ody , ▁N M , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade ▁made ▁its ▁own ▁Living ▁P atch ▁on ▁the ▁para de ▁field ▁at ▁Camp ▁Sh el by , ▁MS ▁prior ▁to ▁its ▁deployment ▁to ▁Ira q ▁for ▁O IF ▁ 0 6 - 0 8 . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁three ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Fight ing ▁Red ▁Bull s ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁Bas ra , ▁Ira q . ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 0 9 ▁More ▁than ▁ 7 0 0 ▁ 3 4 th ▁Com bat ▁A viation ▁Brigade ▁soldiers ▁deployed ▁to ▁Ira q ▁and ▁Afghan istan . ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0 ▁The ▁ 3 4 th ▁Red ▁Bull ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁deployed ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 , 2 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁to ▁Bas ra , ▁Ira q ▁where ▁they ▁provided ▁command ▁and ▁control ▁for ▁ 1 6 , 0 0 0 ▁U . S .