A D-Day veteran who became a social media star in his later years has died at the age of 102.
“Papa Jake” Larson survived German gunfire in the June 1944 landings and then garnered 1.2million followers sharing stories on TikTok to commemorate Second World War and his fallen comrades.
Sharing the news of his death on the platform that found his legions of new fans, ‘Story time with Papa Jake’, his granddaughter McKaela Larson said he “went peacefully and was even cracking jokes ’til the very end”.
“I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all,” she continued. “You meant the world to him.
“When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake’s stories and keep his memory alive. We appreciate all the kind words and posts. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.”
Born on 20 December 1922 in Minnesota, US, Larson enlisted in the National Guard in 1938, lying about his age as he was only 15 at the time. In 1942, four years later, he was sent overseas and was stationed in Northern Ireland.
He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy.
Follow our channel and never miss an update
He was among the nearly 160,000 Allied troops who stormed the Normandy shore on D-Day, surviving machine-gun fire when he landed on Omaha Beach.
“We are the lucky ones,” Larson told The Associated Press (AP) on the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, speaking amid the immaculate rows of graves at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
“We are their family. We have the responsibility to honour these guys who gave us a chance to be alive.”
His service during the war earned him a Bronze Star and a French Legion of Honour award.
In his TikTok posts and interviews, Larson combined humorous anecdotes with sombre reminders about the horrors of war.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
In the wake of his death, small-town museums and groups around Normandy that work to honour D-Day heroes shared tributes to Larson, one of their most loyal visitors.
Read more:
Irish postmistress changed course of D-Day
D-Day in numbers
‘An act of love saved my grandpop’
“He came every year to the museum, with his smile, his humility and his tales that touched all generations,” the Overlord Museum posted on Facebook.
“His stories will continue to live. Rest in peace Papa Jake.”
