CHICAGO - A Chicago veteran battled life and death when he fought in World War II. He had to do it again earlier this year just as he was getting ready to mark a major milestone in his life.

What we know:

Nov. 11 is a big day for Emil Hirsch. It’s his 100th birthday.

As a World War II veteran who was drafted at just 18 years old, he’s survived a lot to make it to this day.

"Well, you had to be slow enough for them to see you and fast enough that they didn't shoot you. It wasn't only me, there was about a hundred of us spread over seven miles," Hirsch said.

He landed at Omaha Beach and survived the Battle of the Bulge despite having the precarious job of having to go from foxhole to foxhole during the day while U.S. troops were getting ready to attack.

"So we were basically on stage

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