'Papa Jake' Larson, TikTok star and WWII vet, dies at 102

The American war veteran Jake Larson has died at the age of 102.

Known to his 1.2 million followers on TikTok as "Papa Jake," he captivated both young and old with his stories. 

In a statement on his social media accounts, his granddaughter McKaela Larson wrote that he died peacefully on July 17, and was "even cracking jokes 'til the very end."

Jake was known for his quick smile and how he combined humorous anecdotes with somber reminders about the horrors of war. He had been living in Lafayette, California.

Who was TikTok star Jake Larson?

A self-described Minnesota farm boy, Jake Larson gained a huge following online in later life by sharing stories of WWII.

He was born on 20th December 1922 in Owatonna, Minnesota. In 1938, while lying about his age, Larson enlisted in the National Guard at 15 years old.

In 1942, he was stationed in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy.

Larson was among the nearly 160,000 Allied Troops who stormed Normandy's beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He survived machine gunfire when he landed on Omaha Beach.

"We are the lucky ones," Jake told the Associated Press at the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, "They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive"

He had been awarded the Bronze Star, and French Legion of Honour for his service. 

Jake often called himself "the luckiest man in the world," and expressed awe at the attention he received. "I'm just a country boy. Now I'm a star on TikTok," he told AP in 2023. "I'm a legend! I didn't plan this, it came about."

Just three weeks ago, he co-won an Emmy with British-Iranian journalist Christiane Amanpour for their interview marking last year's 80th anniversary of D-Day. 

Tributes pour in for 'Papa Jake'

Followers across the USA, and towns around Normandy are paying tribute to "Papa Jake." He had visited Normandy several times over the last years. The official page for tourism in Normandy said he "will never be forgotten."

McKaela Larson asked that her family be given privacy, but said when the time is right, she will continue to "share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive."

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

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher