Frederick Ferdinandsen, often known as "Moak", was a World War 2 veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and almost died when crossing the Rhine River. 

One of the more interesting stories he told was when he and another private were cut off from their unit and a polish family located in enemy territory let them hide in their home. While hiding the SS guard along with Adolf Hitler drove through the town. Fred actually saw the man and said he could have taken a clean shot and killed him. He did not because if he did the SS would have destroyed the town, found him and the other soldier and done terrible things to the family. 

He always spoke candidly of the war. He had two other brothers that also fought in the war. One was stationed in the Caribbean and the other was stationed in the Pacific. The one in the Caribbean did not see much action and his brother Jack who fought in the Pacific was opposite of Fred and never spoke about it. 
He passed away in 2016 at the age of 91
.
This post was created in Lakeland, Florida.