HISTORIC MEETING 80 YEARS IN THE MAKING LATE LAST WEEK EVANSTON, NURSING HOME TO LOCAL WORLD WAR.

2 VETERANS ASSOCIATED WITH A DEADLY SHIP EXPLOSION OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN MET IN PERSON FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

THEIR LIVES WERE SPARED.

ONE OF MIGHT WANT TO TRACK US IS JUST SHY OF HIS 100ND BIRTHDAY.

AND MARVIN HELEN IS 97.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE ON HAND TO WITNESS THE HISTORIC MOMENT.

AND PARIS SCHUTZ HAS THE STORY.

>> MARVIN ELLMAN ON YOUR RIGHT SERVED AS A MINESWEEPER DURING WORLD WAR.

2 ON THE EVENT AM 3.71 ON DECEMBER.

29TH OF 1945.

SHORTLY AFTER THE WAR'S CONCLUSION, THE SHIP HIT A MINE OFF THE COAST OF OKINAWA AND SUNK IN 3 MINUTES.

ELMAN SURVIVED.

CAPTAIN COLD OUT.

BATHING SHIP IN MY JOB WAS TO GO UP TO QUARTERBACK AND REALLY NEEDS FOR ELMAN SAYS HE JUMPED ON A RAFT AND WAS EVENTUALLY RESCUED BY A JAPANESE ROWBOAT.

ON YOUR LEFT IS MYRON TRACK US WHO SERVED AS A MOTOR MACHINIST ON THE USS MERLOT.

AM 3.72 HE LIKES TO SAY HE WAS SAVED THAT DAY BY THE ALPHABET AS HE BARELY MISSED THE CUT OFF TO BOARD THE AM 3.71 I WAS RENAMED >> I WAS A ASSIGNED TO 3 SHOVE AND 2.

HISTORY.

71 HIT A MINE SHAMBURG.

29, THANK FOR FLY.

CERTAINLY ONE OF THE CREW KILLED ALONG WITH FRONT PAGE.

>> THE TRACK IS IS A LONGTIME FORMER VILLAGE OFFICIAL IN NORWICH AND HIS PHOTOGRAPH IS ON DISPLAY AT O'HARE AIRPORT.

THE TRACK REACHED OUT TO ELM AND MORE THAN 60 YEARS AGO TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION ON THE DOWN SHIP AND THE PEOPLE LOST THAT THE 2 STRUCK UP A REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE AND BEAUTIFUL I DON'T IN RECENT MONTHS AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS LONGTIME WIFE ELMAN MOVED FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE TO AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN EVANSTON SETTING UP THE FIRST FACE-TO-FACE MEETING BETWEEN THE 2 LONGTIME TODAY IS A HAPPY ONE THAT I MY FRIEND, MY >> IT'S JUST ROOM BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING WANT MY ROOM AND HE HELPED USE MY HERO.

THAT RACCAH SAYS WEEKS SHY OF HIS 100ND BIRTHDAY AND NOW LIVES IN CAROL STREAM.

>> ELMAN SAYS THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE 2 VETERANS BUT HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST.

HOW'S IT FEEL TO MEET IN PERSON?

I LOVE THEM.

I THIS IS AND HE YOU CAN HAVE >> AS PARIS SHOTS, FUN FACT TO