Jake Larson, a 101-year-old survivor of D-Day, the greatest amphibious assault in history, is traveling to France for the 80th anniversary of the invasion in remembrance of his comrades who were not able to return home.
Tucked away in his Martinez, California, house among pictures and souvenirs from his time in the U.S. Army and National Guard, Larson remembers every second of the day he stepped foot on Omaha Beach on D-Day and refers to himself as “the last man.”
The waves occasionally tossed the landing craft four feet (1.2 meters) to the side while the Germans fired small arms from the dunes and 14-inch (35.5-cm) rounds overhead. He carried 74 pounds (34 kg) of gear in his pack.
“I crossed that minefield, which claimed so many lives. Not just from the small weapons fire but also from the mines. And all of them are situated above. It’s those folks over there that truly need to be acknowledged. And it’s my job to make sure it does. In May, he told Reuters, “I honor those guys.”
Larson, also known as “Papa Jake,” is one of the decreasing numbers of World War II veterans who will return this June to commemorate the invasion anniversary of over 150,000 allied soldiers into France to drive out Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany forces.
Larson is wearing a black jacket that reads “WWII Survivor,” along with the names of the six European battles that he survived, including the Battle of the Bulge.
Born in Minnesota, Larson enlisted in the National Guard as a youngster just before the Guard’s mobilization at the outbreak of World War Two. After arriving in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, he was sent to the Army V Corps.
He was deployed to the D-Day invasion under the V Corps.
Following hours of circling the waterways, he and his crew got word on June 6. They dove into the English Channel’s chilly waves one by one. He reached the beach by holding his rifle above his head while wading into the water up to his neck.
Eventually, he discovered a tiny stone berm with just enough room for protection. He pulled out his waterproof pack to get a cigarette, but his matches were sodden.
“I felt a presence move to my left. ‘Hey, friend, have you got a match?’ I yelled. I received no reply,” Larson remarked. “I turned around. A man is on the ground. Furthermore, the helmet did not conceal a head. It resembled magic. I could hear that guy’s soul asking me to get up and run immediately. Thus, I did.
That was one of many stories he still recalls. And because his granddaughter opened the account for him during the pandemic, he is now sharing those experiences on TikTok.
He has 8.7 million likes on his Instagram account, @StoryTimeWithPapaJake, and more than 800,000 followers. He has even had fan letters in the mail.
It’s amazing what people say when they say, “Jake, thank you so much.” “You have changed our lives,” they told me, demonstrating my positive outlook on life. For me, to hear something like that is an honor. It sustains me,” he remarked.
“People are grateful that I’m a hero,” Larson remarked. “Let me tell you something: I’m not a hero.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.