We knew Uncle Frank served as an Officer in the Army during WWII, but it was a surprise to discover some press coverage:
The Des Moines Register- Des Moines, Iowa – 28 Nov 1944
Des Moines Major Visits Paris, Eats Turkey; By Gordon Gammack. (Register Staff Writer in the European
War Zone) PARIS, FRANCE
The staff of a mechanized regiment was wrestling with a military problem and the major, who is
operations officer of the regiment suggested a solution to the regimental commander. “No,” said the
colonel, “that’s no good. You need a rest. Go to Paris for a few days and forget the war.” “Colonel, you
go, too,” said BREDIMUS, the major. And that is how Maj. Frank Bredimus of Des Moines got to have a
Thanksgiving turkey dinner in Paris.
German Homes. Bredimus has been in Germany since September. He has been amazed to find homes in
Germany so well equipped. “They were crazy to start a war,” he said. “They had plenty of everything.
We’ve found electric refrigerators in almost every home and in many of the homes there are several
vacuum cleaners. They’ve had good food, too.” Bredimus said that many of the German people have
attempted to be friendly to American troops. Frequently, he said, German families have offered food,
brandy, and cigars to Americans.
Highly Optimistic. The cavalry has been in the thick of the present offensive and Bredimus said he is
highly optimistic about the chances of its complete success. The Des Moines officer had an amusing
experience in Aachen not so long ago. He was standing on a street with the regimental commander
when out of a building came a man garbed in a top hat, wing collar, cutaway coat, and striped trousers.
“I thought all the civilians were evacuated from this place,” said the colonel, eyeing the fancily dressed
man. Bredimus took a quick look at the individual. “My gosh,” he said, “he’s one of my men.” The
colonel was more amused than displeased.
Hello, Major Frank Bredimus is a name that has come up in my research for a book on the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, from the time the 4th Cavalry were stationed in West Sussex, England. He is apparently mentioned in some personal testimony from that time, according to the West Sussex Records Office. Could you please say exactly which unit Major Bredimus served in? He may be relevant to my work. Thanks, Mike
Hello Mike Hind. Thank you for your question. I recall that my Uncle Frank Bredimus was operations officer of a mechanized regiment during WW II. There are more details I pasted here:
“Mr. Bredimus served, from 1941 to 1945, with Headquarters of the 4th United States Cavalry in the United States and in the European Theater of Operations, where he participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. He received the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster. The war concluded, he reverted to inactive duty with the rank of lieutenant colonel.”
Frank Bredimus 4th United States Cavalry
His daughter, Leslie, might have additional information if you would like me to inquire.
You might also appreciate his experience in Southern England mentioned in this 1949 clipping. I don’t have an online link for this clipping.
https://www.bredimus.com/1949-frank-war-story/