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Started By
Message
D Day veteran Papa Jake Larson dies at 102
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:09 pm
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:09 pm
quote:Newsmax
orn Dec. 20, 1922, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson enlisted in the National Guard in 1938, lying about his age since he was only 15 at the time. In 1942, he was sent overseas and was stationed in Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy.
He was among the nearly 160,000 Allied troops who stormed the Normandy shore on D-Day, June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun fire when he landed on Omaha Beach. He made it unhurt to the bluffs that overlook the beach, then studded with German gun emplacements that mowed down American soldiers.
“We are the lucky ones,” Larson told The Associated Press at the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, speaking amid the immaculate rows of graves at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
“We are their family. We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive.”
He went on to fight through the Battle of the Bulge, a grueling month-long fight in Belgium and Luxembourg that was one of the defining moments of the war and of Hitler's defeat. His service earned him a Bronze Star and a French Legion of Honor award.
14
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:11 pm to bigjoe1
The old breed. RIP to a real life hero!
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:12 pm to bigjoe1
Dont make them like anymore.
This post was edited on 7/20/25 at 2:14 pm
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:14 pm to bigjoe1
Ah damn. I've watched some of his stuff, mainly his interviews for the veteran's channels. I just find it harder and harder to get too connected to the old folks on the internet, for this reason. Papa Jake was good folks, though. RIP, Jake......you were a hero.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:15 pm to bigjoe1
God Bless him. ????
I trust our Military today but…….you would not see the young punks of today enlist at 15. Or any age today.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:20 pm to bigjoe1
His interview with the American Veterans Center:
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:21 pm to namvet6566
quote:
trust our Military today but…….you would not see the young punks of today enlist at 15. Or any age today.
They shouldnt have trusted the military then, the millions dead were all for nothing. The " peace" they won allowed the communists to murder OVER a hundred million and look at Europe now, its a third world shithole in many places, its conquered and nary a shot were fired.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:27 pm to bigjoe1
Salute sir. Our country misses your type. 
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:45 pm to bigjoe1
Sad that all these tough ol timers are almost all gone.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:49 pm to bigjoe1
The 1920s gave us Papa Larson.
The 1990s gave us Mingo.
#wearedoomed
The 1990s gave us Mingo.
#wearedoomed
Posted on 7/20/25 at 2:57 pm to soccerfüt
You fret too much.
I’ve seen your work, in words.
And I have to tell you that there are still beasts like that in America.
Our America.
Chere’, we still got a bunch of badasses round these parts.
I am one of many.
E Pluribus Unum
It’s on our quarters.
One of many, ready to rock.
I’ve seen your work, in words.
And I have to tell you that there are still beasts like that in America.
Our America.
Chere’, we still got a bunch of badasses round these parts.
I am one of many.
E Pluribus Unum
It’s on our quarters.
One of many, ready to rock.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 3:01 pm to bigjoe1
Kids these days don’t even want their drivers license at 16 and that “kid” was training for war at 16. So much respect!
This post was edited on 7/20/25 at 3:02 pm
Posted on 7/20/25 at 4:02 pm to LSUintheNW
quote:
Kids these days don’t even want their drivers license at 16 and that “kid” was training for war at 16. So much respect!
In his story, that I posted earlier, he tells about going to the recruiter with a friend when they were both 15. He told his friend, "But we're not old enough. No way they will take us." His friend told him to just remember to say "18" when the guy asked how old he was. They walked to the office, and the whole way Jake was saying to himself, "Say you're 18. Say you're 18. Say you're 18." They got to the office, walked in, introduced themselves to the recruiter and shook his hand, and he immediately asked, "When is your birthday?". Jake was speechless. He quickly did the math and made it work well enough to at least get the guy to sign them up.
I laughed when I heard him tell that.
This post was edited on 7/20/25 at 4:03 pm
Posted on 7/20/25 at 5:33 pm to bigjoe1
My father joined the Army on 6/19/1941, well before the attack on Pearl Harbor and "served" from 6/19/1941 thru 9/28/1945 (South Pacific). Once I was old enough to realize he joined up prior to the US entering the war, I asked him why he joined.
His reply was something like this. "son, we all knew the war was coming and "it" (joining up) was what you were supposed to do, so I did". As I've posted before. My dad and three of his brothers all saw active service in WWII and all four came home. Their baby brother served in Korea and came home. I'm convinced their mother spent countless hours on her knees praying for her 5 sons to come home safe.
His reply was something like this. "son, we all knew the war was coming and "it" (joining up) was what you were supposed to do, so I did". As I've posted before. My dad and three of his brothers all saw active service in WWII and all four came home. Their baby brother served in Korea and came home. I'm convinced their mother spent countless hours on her knees praying for her 5 sons to come home safe.
Posted on 7/20/25 at 5:39 pm to bigjoe1
They are almost all gone.
TYFYS. Thank you for saving the world
TYFYS. Thank you for saving the world
Posted on 7/20/25 at 6:27 pm to duckblind56
I have a great uncle who died at Leyte. I have the telegram of his death, his purple heart, and letters he wrote home. I paid Golden Arrow research to get info on him. He died before my dad was even born so I didn't ever hear much about him.
Poor guy didn't make it but a few weeks once they deployed. He enlisted in 42. Spent 2 years training. Deployed to Leyte in October 1944 and was KIA on Nov 6th 1944 from head wounds.
This is one of the letters I have. Written two days before his death. It was delivered after the western union telegram informing my great grandparents of his death.
/Corrrected Golden Eagle To Golden Arrow Research
Poor guy didn't make it but a few weeks once they deployed. He enlisted in 42. Spent 2 years training. Deployed to Leyte in October 1944 and was KIA on Nov 6th 1944 from head wounds.
This is one of the letters I have. Written two days before his death. It was delivered after the western union telegram informing my great grandparents of his death.
/Corrrected Golden Eagle To Golden Arrow Research
This post was edited on 7/20/25 at 8:42 pm
Posted on 7/20/25 at 11:41 pm to bigjoe1
RIP Sir...
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