When a World War II veteran and Florida resident suffered a stroke and came home to Sandusky, he knew he could find assistance at Providence Care Center.

He didn't know his brother would be waiting across the street at Firelands South Campus.

And he didn't know another brother would be taking him for visits every day.

Three World War II veterans and brothers -- Bob, Jack and Frederick Ferdinandsen -- recently reunited after more than ten years to make the most of some unfortunate situations.

Bob suffered a stroke. Jack suffered a hip and pelvis injury. Frederick's wife passed away.

Still, the three knew they could help each other through difficult times.

For the next few weeks, in fact, Hayes Avenue will occasionally play host to a touching display of camaraderie and brotherhood, as Frederick pushes Bob, in a wheelchair, from Providence Care over to Firelands South Campus, where he'll visit Jack.

The three will visit, and they'll reminisce.

"We all know what we went through, and what we're going through now," Frederick said.

The brothers, who don matching World War II veteran hats, said they all have stories to tell, but never had the time to tell them. Until now.

"We never talked war," Jack said. "We'd had enough of it."

Reuniting

After World War II, the Ferdinandsen brothers took separate paths, leading their own lives and enjoying the freedom they fought to preserve.

Bob worked for the Gooding Amusement Company and traveled the country, selling goods at fairs with his wife and two children. He retired to Florida, where he lived for more than 30 years until coming home recently.

Jack worked for General Motors as a bricklayer and furnace maker, and as a contractor on the side. He and his wife had two children and lived in Port Clinton.

Frederick worked in construction and had a big family -- a wife and seven kids in Sandusky, where he also served as commander of the American Legion.

The three brothers said they wished they'd reunited sooner, but it was difficult with family responsibilities and the demands of life.

The distance to Bob's home in Florida also made it difficult for visits.

Sometimes, though, just talking was difficult.

"Now we can go by the water and fish, or just talk, because we probably won't catch anything," Jack joked. "It means a lot."

Frederick agreed.

"We would wait and wait," Frederick said. "It's a good thing we didn't wait anymore. It's so wonderful we can be together again."

Bob said he plans to stay in Sandusky for the rest of his life, so the three brothers can stay together.

"We need to be as close as we can, and always remain friends," he said.

Cindy Esposito, Frederick's daughter, said she admires the courage, strength and humor her father and uncles possess.

"I just admire their will to live and keep going, despite all this," she said. "It's an inspiring and breathtaking sight."

Until Jack completes physical therapy at South Campus and Bob recovers, Frederick said he'll continue to visit his brothers and push their wheelchairs across Hayes Avenue for visits.

His older brothers said they weren't surprised.

"He's always been the scout, out in front, helping the troops get around," Jack said. "Now he's helping both of us get around too."

Bob, 90, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant

Bob Ferdinandsen was the first of his brothers to enlist in the military in 1941, at age 21.

Stationed at a military police unit in Puerto Rico, the eventual U.S. Army Staff Sergeant said he "maintained law and order" in the American Theater of Operation, but was fortunate enough to avoid combat.

"It was a big relief to be in a peace zone," he said. "I was one of the lucky ones."

Bob recalled one of his favorite experiences: escorting President Theodore Roosevelt's wife in the rain when she visited Puerto Rico.

"I was part of the motorcycle squad," he said. "It was my pleasure to escort her, even though I got soaking wet in the process."

Military personnel often ran into prominent people during the war, Bob said, but that was part of the job and those they encountered were no bigger than them.

"I ran into John F. Kennedy on a boat," Jack said. "But that's all it was. We had business to do, and we went ahead and did it."

Bob said he's proud of his grandson, who is currently an Air Force Captain. His grandson is fueling and flying some of the largest planes in the world, Bob said, carrying on the tradition of a military family.

"We had no choice but to fight, that's what we did, and he's doing," Bob said. "You can make it a good thing or a bad thing. We made it a good thing."

Jack, 86, U.S. Air Force Tail Gunner

Like his older brother, Jack Ferdinandsen continued the tradition of his military family. He enlisted in 1942, at age 17, the youngest age to enlist as a Ferdinandsen brother.

"We were all brothers there," Jack said. "This was something we went through because we love our country. Any man who loves his country will be willing to fight for it."

Jack, a U.S. Air Force tail gunner, said he spent time fighting under Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Austria, New Guinea and the Philippines, but does not consider himself a hero.

"We lost a lot of men fighting," Jack said, teary-eyed. "My brothers and I, we're not the heroes. Those people are the heroes. We're lucky we got back."

Jack said one of his planes was shot down in New Guinea with nine people in it; he was one of just two survivors thanks to his position on the plane, near the guns.

"We didn't think anything of it, though, that's just how it was," Jack said. "MacArthur was a great leader, and he always said, 'Don't hesitate. Kill or you'll get killed.' We just had to keep going."

Frederick, 85, U.S. Third Army First Scout

Frederick was the last of his brothers to enlist in the military, in 1943, at age 18.

He saw his fair share of combat and had several close calls.

Under the command of Gen. George S. Patton, Frederick said he traveled across Europe in the U.S. Third Army, tromping through France, Germany and Belgium, all the while carrying a browning automatic rifle on his back.

Because of his small size he was first scout, which was often seen as a "target" position.

"I had at least 100 pounds of gear on me," he said. "I probably only weighed about 107 pounds myself, and when I tried to cross rivers, sometimes I nearly drowned. I'm lucky to be alive."

Frederick fought in the Battle of the Bulge and suffered a back injury from scrap metal.

He is currently waiting to receive a purple heart after a fire destroyed all of his crucial medical records.

"That's just the way it was," he said. "Freedom is the main thing, and that's something other people don't know. We fought for freedom. That's the No. 1 issue, and I honor all people who do so."