Aubrey J Freeman was born on October 5, 1908, to Ellis Jermaine and Mary Ellen McCusker Freeman in New England, Hettinger County, North Dakota. He enlisted in the Navy at Denver, Colorado, August 1931 and was sent to San Diego, California and was assigned to the Hospital Corps. After several months of training there, he was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Base, Great Lakes, Illinois and served until the station was closed in July 1931. Freeman enlisted in the Army Medical Corps in December 1935 and served at Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Minnesota until October 1937.

AMVETS State Commander 2025-Present