Viral 102-year-old WWII veteran has message about America: 'How lucky we all are'
Jake Larson, aka "Papa Jake," spoke with Fox News Digital about serving the country and shared what Independence Day means to him. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Larson of Lafayette, California, fought in six battles during World War II while storming Omaha Beach on D-Day and then in the Battle of the Bulge.
He was born in Owatonna, Minnesota, enlisting in the National Guard in 1938 at age 15 – and lying about his age.
"Growing up on a farm during the Depression with no electricity, running water or money has made me appreciate the independence and freedom we have today," Larson said.
He was 18 years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Larson joked that he "didn't even know Pearl Harbor existed."
After Pearl Harbor, Larson spent three years in Europe.
"I just came from the infantry. I got in on the planning of D-Day. Not only did I get in on the planning of D-Day ... I landed on Omaha Beach and that night I was put in charge of Omaha Beach," he said.
Larson said he was assigned to the night shift for the G3 — and continued this duty through the Battle of the Bulge.
On D-Day, he was out in the water up to his chin carrying his rifle over his head.
"I've drawn eight rounds, and I'm holding that up over my head, so I wouldn't get the ammunition wet," he said.
"But I was more afraid of the small arms fire we were receiving from the shore."
He added, "They're shooting at you from the shore, you're walking over landmines. This is unbelievable."
He added, "The most unbelievable part of it is I came to six of those events without a scratch."
About 66,143 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II were alive as of 2024, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"At the beginning of World War II, Great Britain and Ireland were full of American soldiers fighting for the entire world's freedom alongside them," said Larson.
Author of the book "The Luckiest Man in the World," Larson also spoke of his gratitude toward those who paid the ultimate service to their country.
"Their souls are looking down on me now. Every time I talk, I like to remind people that those guys upstairs, looking down at us, they're the heroes," he told Fox News Digital. "I'm just in there doing the job."
"I don't think any of us ever thought we'd be heroes. We didn't go over there to be heroes. We went over to kick Hitler's [butt] out of Europe."
He added, "And we did it. We did it!"
Larson told Fox News Digital the Fourth of July is a special time for him to reflect on family and freedom.
"When the Fourth of July comes around each year, I think about how lucky we all are living in this country. In this country, we don't care where you came from — we're all Americans. If you fight for our freedoms in America, you are an American."
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