Jake Larson
Celebrity
- Birthday
- December 20, 1922
- Age at Death
- 102
- Birthplace
- Hope
- Died
- July 17, 2025
- @storytimewithpapajake
About
Jake Melvin Larson (December 20, 1922 – July 17, 2025), also known as Papa Jake, was an American World War II veteran and TikToker. He was best known for sharing stories about his experiences of World War II on TikTok.
Larson was born in Hope, Minnesota, the son of Fred Larson, a farmer, and Margaret Peterson. He joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1938. He served with the 135th Infantry Regiment in the 34th Infantry Division in the United States Army during World War II. During his military service, he held the rank of staff sergeant, and fought at Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge, and was an operations sergeant who was involved in the planning of Operation Overlord. He was discharged from his military service in 1945. For his military service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Honor.
Larson’s granddaughter created his TikTok account in June 2020. His account went viral after his granddaughter posted a video about Larson’s military service. After gaining popularity on TikTok, in 2021, he wrote his memoir The Luckiest Man in the World: Stories from the Life of Papa Jake.
In June 2025, Larson won a News and Documentary News…
Awards & Recognition
Born On This Day
Bio and photo via Wikipedia, used under Creative Commons licensing.