Tributes are pouring in for Jake Larson, the American World War II veteran and social media personality known as ‘Papa Jake,’ following his death at the age of 102.
Larson, a D-Day veteran, participated in the Allied assault on Nazi Germany’s forces on the beaches of northern France in 1944, a pivotal moment in the Second World War.
In his later years, he embraced social media, amassing 1.2 million followers on TikTok, where he shared his wartime experiences and honored his fallen comrades.
Just three weeks prior to his passing, Larson shared an Emmy Award with journalist Christiane Amanpour for their interview commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
His granddaughter, McKaela Larson, announced on TikTok that he passed away peacefully on July 17th, noting that 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. You meant the world to him,” she expressed to followers of his Storytime with Papa Jake TikTok account.
McKaela Larson added, “As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.”
While requesting privacy for her family, she affirmed her commitment to “continue to share Papa Jake’s stories and keep his memory alive.”
Reflecting on his TikTok fame, Jake Larson remarked, “I didn’t even know what TikTok was until my granddaughter sent it to me one day.”
In addition to D-Day, he also served in the US Army at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.
Prior to the Allied invasion of occupied France, at the age of 19, he was stationed in Lurgan, Northern Ireland.
Larson made several visits to Normandy in recent years to participate in D-Day commemorations.
Nazi defence plans were smuggled back to England to help the Allies develop new armoured vehicles.
Sixteen men who lost their lives when HMS Umpire sank off Blakeney in 1941 are to be commemorated.
The event at the Black Country Living Museum will celebrate Jake Jacob’s 100th birthday.
Leslie Lemon’s granddaughter describes him as “a war hero, our hero, and the family patriarch”.
Donald Rose, the UK’s oldest surviving World War Two veteran, is remembered as “humble” and “amazing”.