>> MICAH SMITH: IT IS NATIONAL MARITIME DAY. A TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE SACRIFICES MADE BY MERCHANT MARINES WHO SERVE THE COUNTRY BY TRAVERSING THE CEASE TO TRANSPORT CARGO AND
SOLDIERS. DENVER SEVEN'S ANGELICA AL-BALAH DAY HILL MET UP WITH A VETERAN MERCHANT MARINE WHO HAPPENS TO BE TURNING 100 YEARS OLD TODAY.
>> ON LUCAS HACKERS MANTLE PLACE A MEDAL AND A MODEL SHIP HONOR HIS SERVICE IN WORLD WAR. 2.
>> I'D RATHER HAVE MY LIFE AND NO THOSE MEDALS. THE COAST GUARD. IT BUT THE REAL THING IS I GOT HOME MY LIFE.
>> A LIFE PACKERS REFLECTING BACK ON.
>> LYSEE HERE IS JUST COMING OUT OF CHURCH.
>> AS HE TURNS 100 YEARS OLD.
>> THE SHOW MEMORIES >> AMY WADAS: HACKERS PARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS AND HE GREW UP ON A FARM IN KANSAS.
>> HERE I AM WITH THAT MOM.
>> JACLYN ALLEN: HE HOPED TO BECOME A PRIEST LIKE HIS UNCLE AND BROTHERS.
>> BUT THEN I GOT MY CARD. IT SAID REPORT FOR SERVICE HECK ARE SOON JOINED THE MERCHANT MARINES. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, NAVIGATING THE CEASE TO BRING CARGO TO SOLDIERS IN THE
PACIFIC.
>> HAD TO HOLD A MERCHANT MARINE SHIPS TRUCKS ON THERE SHEEP'S WOOL SCRAPERS. WE'LL SAYING THE OCEAN. SO THERE ARE.
>> HIS CARGO SHIP AND OTHERS WERE A TARGET FOR JAPANESE BOMBERS.
>> THEY'VE COME IN AND BOMB TRACK THEM WITH THAT STILL ONE IN A WORD.
>> HAD JUST GOT ONE. HE STILL HAUNTED BY THE MEMORIES OF THOSE WHO WERE INJURED TO MY.
>> WHEN YOU IN HOSPITAL SKIES THAT HAVE PUT THE HANDOUT, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR GROUP CORRECT A HAND IN. SO AFTER THE WAR AFTER REGIME, WE WERE THERE WHEN IT DROPPED ATOMIC
BOMB. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAD A TIME OF CLEAN >> BRING THE TROOPS BACK.
THAT'S ONE HECK ARE REALLY STARTED. FILLING UP HIS PHOTO ALBUMS OF MEMORIES.
>> WELL, THAT'S BETH AND I COMING OUT OF THE CHURCH AFTER WE WERE MARRIED TO HAPPINESS STARTS ENOUGH. AND THEN EVERYTHING WAS GOOD TO ME. I MEAN, THERE WAS NOTHING REALLY
OUTSTANDING. HAD A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
>> JACLYN ALLEN: AND NOW A CENTURY OF LIFE LATER, HACKERS THANKFUL HE CAN STILL WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH HIS FAMILY.
>> AND THERE SHE IS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS? THAT'S THAT KIND OF TOUCHES YOUR HEART.
>> REPORTING FROM DENVER. I'M ANGELICA AND BOUGHT A HOME.
>> TRUE. HAPPINESS STARTED A