Special Reports

(WCCO) Minnesota's National Guard has served the state and the nation in times of disaster and war. The 34th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Bulls, has set records and standards for all of the U.S. military.

Earlier this year, more than 1,000 men and women from the 34th began a 1-year deployment to southern Iraq. It's a unit that has a proud history helping in Minnesota and abroad.

"Being a Red Bull represents our state as well as our country," said Staff Sergeant Chad Malmberg. He was deployed to Iraq with the Red Bulls in 2005.

"We had a job to do," said PFC Victor Knoph, who served during World War II. "People try to make heroes of us, and we had a job to do and we did it."

The 34th Infantry Division is a distinguished unit of the National Guard. It all started back in 1917 when Pancho Villa raided from Mexico. The 34th was mobilized to protect the border.

Members from Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas then trained in New Mexico for World War I. That's where they adopted their symbol: the skull of a bull inside a Mexican water jar.

In World War II, the Germans came to know this symbol stood for ferocious fighting. They were named the Red Bulls and immortalized in films of the time.

"The 34th had come into its own as a cool, skilled fighting machine," said the film announcer.

"We fired the first rounds against the Germans," said Knoph.

He was just 20 years old when he joined the 34th. His job was loading big guns in Northern Africa and Italy during World War II.

"We were always attacking," said Knoph. "At night when you fired, boy, it was a real bright flash. All of a sudden you could read a newspaper a mile away."

Knoph and the other Red Bulls set many records. They were the first Americans to fire on the Germans, they took control of the most hills and they served the most days in combat of any other unit.

"We actually got about 650 days," said Knoph, "After a year, you didn't go home. You either lived or you died."

"A fitting ending to years of desperate efforts," said the film announcer. "When German 34th Division surrendered to the 34th American Division."

"You see the black and white photos ... and sometimes you forget how much we really have in common," said Malmberg.

Fast forward to today.

Malmberg was deployed with the Red Bulls for more than a year in Iraq -- a modern day record.

"Being a Red Bull just basically means that we're there when we're called upon and we do our job to the best of our ability and we often outperform the average," said Malmberg.

Malmberg was awarded the Silver Star for valor in the face of the enemy. It's the first for the Red Bulls since World War II. He was working as an escort when the convoy in front of him was hit by an IED. Suddenly, they were under attack.

"We were pretty much stuck there without any recourse except to battle it out," said Malmberg. "We just finished, and you know, lived to fight another day."

Malmberg and his unit made it out without casualties and proved, once again, the resilience and determination of the Red Bulls.

"We really have always maintained a high standard and hopefully will continue to do that into the future," said Malmberg.

The 34th Infantry Red Bulls have members from all over the United States; but because they are based in Rosemount, Minn., so many of the citizen soldiers call Minnesota home.

Currently there are 1,800 troops from the Minnesota National Guard in Iraq.

Don Shelby and photojournalist Tom Aviles will begin live reports from Iraq this weekend.

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