“Papa Jake” Larson: D-Day Hero, TikTok Star, and National Treasure, Dies at 102
YouTube / KARE 11
Jacob “Papa Jake” Larson, one of the last surviving D-Day veterans and a beloved TikTok storyteller, passed away peacefully on July 17 at the age of 102. From dodging bullets on Omaha Beach to capturing the hearts of millions online, Larson lived a life few could imagine—and never stopped honoring the fallen heroes he served beside.
From Normandy’s Sands to the Internet’s Spotlight
Born in Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1922, Larson lied about his age to join the National Guard at just 15. By 1944, he had become an operations sergeant and helped plan the Allied invasion of Normandy. On June 6, he landed on Omaha Beach under withering German fire. He reached the bluffs without a scratch—one of the lucky ones, as more than 2,400 Americans were killed there that day.
Larson later fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received both the Bronze Star and France’s Legion of Honor. But he never called himself a hero. “We are the lucky ones,” he once said at the Normandy cemetery. “We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive.”
A Voice That Echoed Across Generations
When pandemic lockdowns canceled D-Day events in 2020, Larson’s granddaughter McKaela helped him take his stories to TikTok. “Story Time with Papa Jake” went viral, and the then-97-year-old veteran gained over 1.2 million followers. His mix of humor, humility, and historical insight touched people of all ages.
Even at 102, Larson was still cracking jokes, still sharing memories, and still reminding the world why remembering matters. “Make peace, not war,” he urged in one of his last interviews.
Tributes poured in from across the U.S. and from towns in Normandy where he was a frequent guest. “He was an exceptional witness and bearer of memory,” wrote the Overlord Museum in France.
Papa Jake was the last surviving member of his unit. But thanks to his stories—and the millions who listened—his legacy marches on.
“As Papa would say,” McKaela wrote, “love you all the mostest.”
