Expand / Collapse search
☰

‘Papa Jake’ Larson, D-Day veteran and TikTok star, dies at 102

By
Published  July 20, 2025 8:39am CDT
Military
FOX Local
D-Day veterans mark 81st anniversary of landings

D-Day veterans mark 81st anniversary of landings

Friday marked the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Veterans returned to the French coastline to commemorate the pivotal moment of World War II, when Allied troops stormed the beaches and invaded Nazi-occupied France, leading to the Battle of Normandy. This battle ultimately led to the downfall of Adolf Hitler's defenses. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave remarks at the American Cemetery that overlooks the shoreline. FDD's Ellie Bufkin joins LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss the history of D-Day and Friday's events marking the anniversary.

The Brief

    • A D-Day veteran turned TikTok star died last week at the age of 102.
    • ‘Papa Jake’ Larson’s granddaughter shared the news of his death on his popular social media accounts.
    • Tributes have poured in from across the United States and Normandy, where he was celebrated for his role in defeating Nazi forces.

D-Day veteran and social media star "Papa Jake" Larson, who survived Omaha Beach in 1944, has died at 102.

‘Papa Jake’ Larson

What they're saying:

"Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young," his granddaughter McKaela Larson posted on his social media accounts. "He went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end.″

"As Papa would say, love you all the mostest," she wrote.

D-Day veteran

The backstory:

Born Dec. 20, 1922, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson enlisted in the National Guard in 1938, lying about his age since he was only 15 at the time. In January 1942, he was sent overseas and was stationed in Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy.

Dig deeper:

He was among the Allied troops who stormed the Normandy shore on D-Day, June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun fire when he landed on Omaha Beach. He made it unhurt to the bluffs that overlook the beach, then studded with German gun emplacements that mowed down American soldiers.

After D-Day, he fought on through the Battle of the Bulge. 

Recently:

In recent years, he made repeated trips to Normandy for D-Day commemorations.

FILE - US veteran Jake Larson, also known as "Papa Jake", looks on during an International Commemorative Ceremony of the 81st Anniversary of the Landing of June 6, 1944, in Colleville-sur-Mer, north western France, on June 6, 2025. (Photo by Lou Beno

Expand

RELATED: WATCH: Army 250th anniversary celebration in Washington DC

TikTok fame

Big picture view:

Known for sharing World War II stories on TikTok, he gained 1.2 million followers late in life. 

The Source: Information in this article was taken from his public TikTok account. Background information was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.

MilitarySocial Media