World War II veteran Jake ‘Papa Jake’ Larson, who gained fame as a TikTok star with 1.2 million followers, has died peacefully at age 102. The Minnesota native survived intense machine-gun fire during the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach in 1944 and later fought in the pivotal Battle of the Bulge, earning a Bronze Star and French Legion of Honor. In his later years, Larson became beloved for sharing wartime stories on TikTok and making regular pilgrimages to Normandy for D-Day commemorations, where he charmed visitors with his humor and hugs. His granddaughter announced he passed away on July 17, 2025, noting he was ‘cracking jokes til the end’ and signing off with his signature phrase: ‘love you all the mostest.’ Normandy museums and communities paid tribute to Larson as an ‘exceptional witness and bearer of memory’ who connected generations through his vivid accounts of WWII sacrifices.
Source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/20/d-day-vet-tiktok-papa-jake-larson-dies/