ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Addendum to the book:
Knights of Freedom
with the Hell On Wheels Armored Division in WWII
This website is designed as an addendum to the book Knights of Freedom, written by Lt. Colonel Frederick C. Brems USAR (Ret.) and his son Fred G. Brems and published by Stackpole Press in 2024. The book covers Colonel Brems’ experiences during World War II from his enlistment prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, his rise in rank, and his return home in time for Christmas, 1945. Over 500 photos taken by Colonel Brems, numerous anecdotes that he shared with his son throughout his life, and all the letters he sent home to his parents and new wife Helen provide the content for the book.
The purpose of this addendum is to provide a home for the several hundred photos that did not make it into the book as well as explore the depths of the high resolution photos for details that are not visible at first glance. The complete story and context behind each photo is provided in the book itself.
You may copy and use the photos here in your own publications as long as you give credit to the book as follows:
Knights of Freedom by Lt. Col. Frederick C. Brems USAR (RET), published by Stackpole Books, Blue Ridge Summit, PA.
Knights of Freedom
With the Hell on Wheels Armored Division in World War II, A Story in Photos
By Lt. Col. Frederick C. Brems USAR (RET)
And Fred G. Brems
Includes: 643 Illustrations, 597 Photos, 43 Maps
Chapters
CHAPTERS 1-13 COMPLETED 15MAR2024.
CHAPTERS 14-15 COMPLETED 24JUN2024.
CHAPTER 16 COMPLETED 03NOV2025.
CHAPTERS 17-18 & APPENDICES COMPLETED 06AUG2026.
PERSONAL NARRATIVE
FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS VETERANS’ HISTORY PROJECT
Frederick C. Brems Collection
Lieutenant Colonel, Army, World War, 1939-1945 – United States; European Theater.
• Contributor: Davidson, Joseph W. – Brems, Frederick C. – Crawley, Don E. – Aarp/Kwva (Korean War Veterans Association) Lake of the Woods VA Chapter
• Resource: Interview / Recording – Video – 01:39:35.0
Aug 27, 2026 recording of Livestream discussion with the Veterans Breakfast club
Lt. Col. Frederick C. Brems carried a camera throughout his World War II service with the 2nd Armored Division, preserving an extraordinary visual record of the war as he experienced it.
Brems enlisted before the attack on Pearl Harbor and eventually served in Europe with the famed “Hell on Wheels” division. From the fall of 1944 through the end of the war, he photographed the soldiers, vehicles, towns, battlefields, and everyday moments around him. His journey included the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Grenade, the advance across Germany, the occupation of Berlin, and the long road home.
Join us for a conversation with his son, retired Lt. Col. Frederick “Fred” Brems, about Knights of Freedom: With the Hell on Wheels Armored Division in World War II, A Story in Photos. The book brings together more than 500 photographs taken by his father, along with wartime letters and the stories he shared with his family over the years. Together, they offer a deeply personal account of one soldier’s service and a vivid look at life inside an American armored division during the final campaigns of the war in Europe.
We’ll talk about the photographs, the stories behind them, and the process of turning a family archive into a detailed history. Brems will also discuss his father’s experiences with the 2nd Armored Division, including combat during the Battle of the Bulge, the Allied drive into Germany, and the occupation that followed. The book contains nearly 600 photographs, dozens of maps, and hundreds of additional illustrations documenting that journey.
Fred Brems is an educator, researcher, writer, and photographer who spent years studying his father’s wartime service and preserving the collection he left behind. He has also worked in U.S. embassies and schools in the United States and overseas.
We hope you’ll join us for this remarkable story of war, memory, family history, and the photographs that brought one veteran’s experience back to life.