RED OAK, Iowa (KMTV) — Before there were Navy SEALs, there was Al Hays. At 99 years old, the Red Oak neighbor may be the last living member of the World War II Scouts and Raiders, an elite unit that was a forerunner to the SEALs.

WATCH KATRINA'S STORY HERE 99-Year-Old May Be Last Living WWII Scouts and Raiders Member

"I thought boot camp was vacation after working on the farm," Hays said.

Hays grew up south of Malvern and was eager to join the fight abroad before he turned 18. Initially, he asked his parents for permission to join the Army, but his father, who had survived a mustard gas attack during World War I, refused.

"I kept badgering him and badgering him and finally he says, 'I'm just not ever going to sign for you to go into the Army,'" Hays said.

After meeting sailors who

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