It is National Maritime Day, a time to recognize the
sacrifices made by merchant Marines who serve the country by
traversing the seas to transport cargo and soldiers.
Denver Sevens Angelica Al Bellade Hill met up with a
veteran merchant marine who happens to be turning 100 years
old today.
On Lucas Hacker's mantle place a medal and a model
ship honor his service in World War 2.
I'd rather have my life than that.
All those medals, the Coast Guard could have kept him.
But the real thing is.
I got home my life,
a life Hackers reflecting back on.
Oh, my. See, here, we're just coming out of church
as he turns 100 years old.
That's your memories? Yeah. Hecker's parents were immigrants,
and he grew up on a farm in Kansas.
Here I am with dad and mom.
He hoped to become a priest like his uncle and
brothers.
But then I got my card.
It said the report for service.
Hacker soon joined the merchant Marines.
I was 18 years old.
Navigating the seas to bring cargo to soldiers in the
Pacific.
He pulled my lads, he pulled I Merchant marine ships
had trucks on there.
Jeeps scrapers will krill us and the ocean sail any
river.
And while his cargo ship and others weren't a target
for Japanese bombers,
they've come in and bomb and trapped them with fly.
And I still have one in our heads.
Just got one. He's still haunted by the memories of
those who were injured.
Oh my.
When you run at the hospital,
schedule to put their hand out.
They were looking for you to grow up,
grab their hand. And so after the war,
after Iwo Jima, we were there when they dropped the
atomic bombs.
And after that, we had a time of cleanup,
of bringing the troops back.
That's when Hecker really started filling up his photo albums
of memories.
Oh, that's Beth and I coming out of the church
after we were married.
True happiness starts in the family.
And everything was good to me.
I mean, there was nothing really outstanding.
Had a beautiful family. Now,
a century of a life later,
hackers thankful he can still walk down memory lane with
his family.
And there she is now something like this that's been
kind of touches your heart.
Reporting from Denver, I'm Angelica Albaladejo.
True happiness starts in a family.
I love that. Happy birthday and thank you for your
service.
Thank you so much for your service.
Good.