Knights of Freedom

Through over 600 photos, many never before published, supplemented by firsthand accounts from the author, Knights of Freedom follows the tanks of the 2nd Armored Division through some of the toughest fighting of World War II. It is a visual feast depicting American tank combat as it has never been seen before.

Frederick C. Brems was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941, six months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served as a tanker throughout World War II, with the 2nd Armored Division and other units and received the Bronze Star and the Silver Star.Once the war ended, he returned to his civilian life in the paper industry, rising to lead the firm he joined as a young man. He continued in the Army Reserve until 1967, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Frederick was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lived in the Chicago area until retirement. He died in 2014.
Fred G. Brems, inspired by the multiple accounts related by his father over the years, became a lifelong student of military history and an avid collector of military models. Brems is an educator, researcher, writer, and photographer who held professional staff positions in U.S. embassies and schools in both the U.S. and overseas. He has an M.A. from the University of Maryland and a B.S. from Georgetown University. Fred and his wife, Susan, live in Durham, North Carolina.