Jake Larson

Jake Melvin Larson^[1] (December 20, 1922 – July 17, 2025), also known as Papa Jake,^[2][3][4] 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.^[5]

Jake Larson
Larson in 2025
Born	Jake Melvin Larson (1922-12-20)December 20, 1922 Hope, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	July 17, 2025(2025-07-17) (aged 102) Lafayette, California, U.S.
Occupation	TikToker
Spouse	Lola Cassem ​ ​ (m. 1945; died 1991)​
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Branch	Minnesota National Guard United States Army
Years of service	1938-1945
Rank	Staff sergeant
Unit	135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division
Battles / wars	World War II Operation Overlord
Awards	Bronze Star Medal Legion of Honor

Early life and career

Larson was born in Hope, Minnesota,^[6] the son of Fred Larson, a farmer, and Margaret Peterson.^[7] He joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1938.^[4][8] He served with the 135th Infantry Regiment in the 34th Infantry Division in the United States Army during World War II.^[9] During his military service, he held the rank of staff sergeant, and fought at Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge,^[8] and was an operations sergeant who was involved in the planning of Operation Overlord.^[10] He was discharged from his military service in 1945.^[11] For his military service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Honor.^[12][13]

Larson (bottom left) with Mark Milley, 2022

Larson created his TikTok account in June 2020.^[10] His account went viral after his granddaughter posted a video about Larson's military service.^[14] After gaining popularity on TikTok, in 2021, he wrote his memoir The Luckiest Man in the World: Stories from the Life of Papa Jake.^[10][15]

In June 2025, Larson won a News and Documentary News Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Live Interview. His win was shared with Christiane Amanpour.^[9][16][17]

Personal life and death

In 1945, Larson married Lola Cassem.^[18][19] Their marriage lasted until her death in 1991.^[20]

Larson (left) with Jeffery Broadwater, 2023

On December 20, 2022, Larson turned 100.^[21] He died at his home in Lafayette, California, on July 17, 2025, at the age of 102.^[22][23] At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of the army's 135th Infantry Regiment.^[10]