▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q , ▁two ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ' s ▁ 3 rd ▁Brigade ▁were ▁deployed ▁to ▁support ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom . ▁The ▁ 2 – 7 0 ▁Arm or ▁and ▁ 1 – 4 1 ▁Infantry ▁batt alion ▁task ▁forces ▁augment ed ▁the ▁ 8 2 nd ▁Air bor ne ▁Division , ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 0 1 st ▁Air bor ne ▁Division ▁throughout ▁the ▁campaign ▁to ▁ou st ▁Ira qi ▁dict ator ▁S add am ▁Hus sein . ▁These ▁units ▁spe ar head ed ▁the ▁U . S . ▁assault s ▁in ▁As ▁Sam aw ah ▁and ▁Kar b ala ▁and ▁later ▁occupied ▁the ▁southern ▁area ▁of ▁Bag hd ad . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion , ▁ 1 3 th ▁Arm or ▁followed ▁shortly ▁behind ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁division ▁deployed ▁to ▁Ira q ▁and ▁assumed ▁responsibility ▁for ▁Bag hd ad , ▁under ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁Ric ardo ▁San chez , ▁rel ieving ▁the ▁ 3 d ▁Infantry ▁Division . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade , ▁under ▁Colonel ▁Peter ▁Mans oor , ▁assumed ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁Rus af a ▁and ▁Ad ham i ya ▁districts ▁of ▁central ▁Bag hd ad . ▁The ▁division ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Germany ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁but ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁an ▁additional ▁ 3