Dalip Celbeqiri
Papa Jake, the beloved 100-year-old World War II veteran, and social media sensation, made hearts melt as he embraced countless fans during his poignant visit to Normandy for D-Day commemorations.
With over 600,000 TikTok followers, Papa Jake honored the 79th anniversary of the liberation of France and Western Europe at the American Cemetery.
“I got in on the planning of D-Day … I’m just a country boy. Now I’m a star on TikTok. You can see me all over: ‘Papa Jake.’ I’m a legend! I didn’t plan this, it came about.” he told The Associated Press.
Larson bravely landed on Omaha Beach, maneuvering through machine-gun fire unscathed and reaching the cliffs unharmed.
“I’m 100 without an ache or a pain. You can’t fake that,” he said.
Larson visited the Pegasus Memorial, a site honoring a crucial D-Day operation where troops bravely seized control of a strategic bridge.
At that place, he crossed paths with Bill Gladden, a remarkable 99-year-old British veteran. He told him: “I want to give you a hug, thank you. I got tears in my eyes. We were meant to meet.”
He joined other U.S. veterans in a wheelchair parade at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the historic site where paratroopers landed after midnight on D-Day.
During his Normandy trip, “Papa Jake” delighted people with his warm hugs as they eagerly requested selfies at every stop.
French followers expressed their heartfelt emotions on Jake’s TikTok account upon seeing him.
Hailing from Owatonna, Minnesota, Jake Larson joined the National Guard in 1938, deceiving them about his age as he was just 15.
Sent overseas in January 1942, Papa Jake served in Northern Ireland. As an operations sergeant, he organized planning books for the Normandy invasion and persevered through the Battle of the Bulge.
Accompanied by the Best Defense Foundation, Larson joined over 40 U.S. veterans in Normandy to revisit the battlefields they once fought on.
