Bengt Fredman

Lieutenant Colonel Bengt Gösta Olof Fredman (22 April 1916 – 31 December 2008) was a Swedish Army officer, mostly known for his actions during the Congo Crisis in 1963.

Early life Fredman was born on 22 April 1916 in Östersund, Sweden, the son of Reinhold Fredman, an accountant, and his wife Astrid Dahlström. He passed studentexamen in Sundsvall in 1935.

Congo Fredman was commanding officer of the Swedish Battalion XVIII K between October 1962 and May 1963. He was handpicked for the post of deputy battalion commander but as the regular battalion commander was asked to become head of sector Kamina in the State of Katanga, Fredman received direct command and responsibility of the battalion. Thus, it was he who with short notice, planned, led the attack and captured the town of Kaminaville during Operation Grandslam on New Year's Eve in 1962. The attack occurred without loss to the Swedes and without destruction of either the white or African district. The larger of the two captured Gendarmerie camps in Kaminaville was named by a soldier very frivolously to Camp Fred which also became the future name. The name (Fred, Swedish word for "Peace") partly referred to their mission as peacemakers and the UN peacekeeping mandate and partly as a tribute to their battalion commander Bengt Fredman.

Dates of rank 1939 – Second lieutenant 1941 – Lieutenant 1947 – Captain 1958 – Major 1962 – Lieutenant colonel (acting rank) 1966 – Lieutenant colonel

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Västernorrland County Association for Volunteer Military Training's Gold Medal (Västernorrlands läns befäls(utbildnings)förbunds guldmedalj) National Federation of Swedish Women's Auxiliary Defence Services' Silver Medal (Riksförbundet Sveriges lottakårers silvermedalj) Västernorrland Rifle Association's Silver Medal (Västernorrlands skytteförbunds silvermedalj) Society for the Promotion of Ski Sport and Open Air Life's Gold Medal (Skid- och friluftsfrämjandets i Sveriges guldmedalj)

Foreign