Jake Larson, Wwii Veteran Turned Tiktok's 'papa Jake,' Dies At 102, Granddaughter Announces

Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who amassed much than 1.2 cardinal followers connected TikTok, has died astatine nan property of 102, his granddaughter announced connected societal media.

Known affectionately online arsenic "Papa Jake," Larson helped scheme nan D-Day penetration and stormed Omaha Beach successful Normandy, France. He became an improbable societal media prima erstwhile his granddaughter started a TikTok relationship for him, which was followed by his autobiography.

"Our beloved Papa Jake has passed distant connected July 17th astatine 102 years young. Please know, he went peacefully and was moreover cracking jokes til nan very end," his granddaughter, McKaela Larson, wrote connected Instagram. "At this time, nan family and I inquire for immoderate privateness arsenic we process this loss."

"I americium truthful thankful to person shared my Papa Jake pinch you all. You meant nan world to him. When nan clip is right, I will proceed to stock Papa Jake’s stories and support his representation alive," she added. "We admit each nan benignant words and posts. As Papa would say, emotion you each nan mostest." 

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: REMEMBERING COURAGE ON THE 81ST ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY

Jake Larson attends a D-Day day ceremony astatine nan Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial connected June 6, 2023 successful Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Born connected Dec. 20, 1922, successful Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson grew up connected a workplace without energy aliases moving h2o during nan Great Depression. He enlisted successful nan National Guard successful 1938 astatine property 15, lying astir his age, according to nan Best Defense Foundation. His portion was transferred to national work successful 1941 pursuing Japan’s astonishment onslaught connected Pearl Harbor successful Hawaii. 

In January 1942, he was sent overseas and was stationed successful Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled nan readying books for Operation Overlord, nan penetration of Normandy. Larson was among nan Allied troops who stormed nan Normandy statement connected D-Day, June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun occurrence erstwhile he landed connected Omaha Beach. He made it unhurt to nan bluffs that place nan beach, past studded pinch German weapon emplacements that mowed down American soldiers.

After D-Day, he fought connected done nan Battle of nan Bulge. He and his sweetheart, Lola, later settled successful California, wherever they raised a family aft nan war. 

In 2020, his granddaughter started a TikTok account, "storytimewithpapajake," done which he has amassed online fame. He authored an autobiography successful 2021 titled "The Luckiest Man successful nan World: Stories from nan life of Papa Jake." 

Larson returned to Normandy for respective D-Day day and memorial celebrations successful caller years.

WORLD WAR II VETERANS TRAVEL TO NORMANDY FOR EMOTIONAL D-DAY COMMEMORATION

"We are nan fortunate ones," Larson told The Associated Press astatine nan 81st day of D-Day successful June, speaking amid nan immaculate rows of graves astatine nan American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.

"They had nary family. We are their family. We person nan work to grant these guys who gave america a chance to beryllium alive."

Jake Larson, who was nan operations sergeant and assembled nan readying books for Operation Overlord, arrives astatine nan Deauville-Normandie Airport successful Saint-Gatien-des-Bois, northwestern France, connected June 2, 2022. (SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

Larson earlier this period shared a message pinch Fox News Digital connected Independence Day astir nan value of freedom. 

"God bless each those guys that served, and they served nan ultimate," Larson told Fox News Digital from his location in Lafayette, Calif., connected nan Fourth of July. "Their souls are looking down astatine maine now." 

"Every clip I talk, I for illustration to punctual group those guys upstairs looking down astatine us, they're nan heroes… None of america each thought we'd beryllium heroes."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks pinch 102-year-old WWII and D-Day seasoned Jake Larson, besides known arsenic "Papa Jake", aft a memorial ceremonial astatine nan American Cemetery successful Colleville-sur-Mer, north-western France, connected June 6, 2025.  (LOU BENOIST/AFP via Getty Images)

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Tributes from nan Zac Brown Brand, Unsubscribe Podcast and podcaster and retired Navy officer, Jacko Willink, person been shared to Larson's Instagram account's stories. 

Fox News' Ashley DiMella and nan Associated Press contributed to this report.