WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:17.280 Welcome to Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in this edition is 2 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:22.359 Jake Larson. He's a US Army veteran of the D Day Invasion and served 3 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.960 all the way through the end of the war in Europe. Over the past 4 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:31.160 few years, Jake has become a viral TikTok star thanks to his granddaughter posting 5 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:35.560 their conversations about his service online. And Jake, thank you very much for 6 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:39.679 being with us. Pleasure, It's a pleasure. Thank you. Where were 7 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.920 you born and raised, sir? I was born in all time in Minnesota. 8 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.880 I was raised I'm a farm two miles west of Hupe, Minnesota. 9 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:53.079 And was there a history of military service in your family? Eh? No, 10 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:59.479 but I started one. Excellent excellent will you joined the National Guard when 11 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:03.439 you were only I'm fifteen years old? Why did you want to join at 12 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:07.799 that age? It was a matter of money. My dad couldn't afford. 13 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:17.200 There's a very bad depression at that time, and my dad couldn't afford for 14 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:26.079 me to stay in town. We lived fourteen miles from the school, and 15 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.239 I had to work for my room and board, so I couldn't go out 16 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:36.000 for any sports. I had to rush home, always in help. So 17 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:42.280 you joined the National Guard in nineteen thirty eight, so this is before World 18 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:46.200 War Two by three years. What kind of duties did you have in the 19 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:55.439 National Guard. We were preparing to be cannon for We learned to march, 20 00:01:55.640 --> 00:02:01.040 we learned to shoot, and being a farm boy, we were brought up 21 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:07.360 with guns soul, it was a natural thing to be shooting. Now you 22 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:13.599 were about to leave the National Guard. I understand when the Japanese attacked Pearl 23 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:19.240 Harbor. Tell me how you heard that news. There was a Sunday and 24 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:29.280 somehow someone mentioned the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor. What is Pearl 25 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:35.479 Harbor? We didn't even know what Pearl Harbor was, but they said it 26 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:40.680 was part of the Hawaiian Islands. They're in Hawaii. So you obviously stayed 27 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:46.639 in the service. I didn't have much choice. There were no discharges, 28 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:53.039 but for anyone. Once the war started, you were as you were. 29 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:57.280 Tell the end of the war. Where did they send you and train you? 30 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:00.360 At that point, I was in Camp Clayborne, Lowisiana at that time, 31 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:09.879 had been there since February tenth. We were shipped to Fort Dickson, 32 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:19.919 New Jersey for embarkation over England someplace we didn't know where, but we ended 33 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:25.680 up in North Ireland. That was the big training ground for the thirty fourth 34 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:35.240 Infantry Division. I was a former company clerk in headquarters company. I got 35 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:40.479 busted down to private, so when I went to North Ireland, I was 36 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:51.639 Private Jake Larson. But your records go with you. My record when Captain 37 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:55.879 Erickson broke me down to a private, he said, you're going to beat 38 00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:01.080 in the wire section. You'll be climbing poles and string for it. I 39 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:10.800 was an expert typist and it changed my life. Where I was planning on 40 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:20.839 climbing poles and stringing wire instead a staff sergeant, Staff Sergeant Jeffrey and Corporal 41 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:29.439 William Cray and Private Jake Larson. We were sent to a center in North 42 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:36.560 North Ireland where we transferred Americans that had joined the Canadian forces or the British 43 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:46.000 forces before we got into war. And we we transferred those guys back into 44 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:53.439 the United States Army at whatever rank they had. My job was to sell 45 00:04:54.040 --> 00:05:02.439 sell them GI insurance. Just all dried up. About thirty three days I 46 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:11.439 was back planning on climbing poles, street and Laire, Like Captain Erickson had 47 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:18.160 promised me. Three days after Bath, I was transferred into G three, 48 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:26.319 Fifth Corps. I had no knowledge at all what even a corps was. 49 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:34.560 Come to find out there are two corps in an army. I came from 50 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:46.439 an infantry company. Does since happened, there's no one ever gets transferred from 51 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:54.040 the infantry into corps headquarters except Jake Larson. It's one of the miracles of 52 00:05:54.079 --> 00:06:00.560 my life. And it's crazy. So now that you're attached to the fifth 53 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:05.360 Corps. How soon after that were you part of the D Day invasion That 54 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:15.160 was in nineteen forty two in North Ireland. We trained the thirty fourth Division 55 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:26.360 for Operation Torch in North Africa. When we invaded that, I transferred from 56 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:31.879 the thirty fourth Division. I had two first cousins that were in Company F 57 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:38.680 there and they went down on Torch. When they went to Torch, I 58 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:46.279 went to Bristol, England with the Fifth Corps. Then were transferred to Taunton, 59 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:56.759 Somerset in nineteen forty three, then to Portsmouth, England, where Eisenhower 60 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:04.240 Bradley had set up the command and uh Colonel Hill out of d G. 61 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:13.040 Threed or thirty of us I in G three. He picked me to go 62 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:19.439 with him and I got in on the plans of d D Day. I 63 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:28.199 was uh elevated in uh t to uh the highest kind of a secrecy you 64 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:35.519 can possibly get. E. Every person that landed on D Day, every 65 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:45.480 person that landed on D Day on Omaha Beach came through my fingers. I 66 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.759 look back at it now, it's it's an honor. Here's another thing. 67 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:55.959 It's like I'm bragging when I'm telling my story, and I've gotta tell it 68 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:59.560 like this, the boy, cause this is the way it was. Colonel 69 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:07.079 Hill being Fifth Corps, we were Fifth Corps was in charge of Omaha Beach 70 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:16.120 and seventh Corps was in charge of Utah Beach. And between Fifth and seventh 71 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:24.240 Core we were First Army, so we had to keep dialogue going with First 72 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:30.839 Army. All right, So take me to June of nineteen forty four and 73 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:35.720 the beginning of the mission across the English Channel. What was the ride like? 74 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:41.080 Well, here is another thing. It's like I'm bragging when I'm telling 75 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:46.799 my story, and I've got to tell it like this because this is the 76 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:52.559 way it was. Colonel Hill being Fifth Corps, we were fifth Corps was 77 00:08:52.799 --> 00:09:01.799 in charge of Omaha Beach and Seventh Corps was in charge of Utah Beach. 78 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:11.279 And between Fifth and Seventh Core we were First Army, so we had to 79 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:16.000 keep dialogue going with First Army. Tell me about the right across the English 80 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:22.840 Channel and what happened as the morning broke right across the English Channel. I 81 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:30.639 was on the command ship. That was one of the roughest rides in the 82 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:37.480 world. We started across and we had a terrific storm come in and they 83 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:43.480 called off. We were supposed to land on the fifth. We boarded on 84 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:48.600 the fourth of June and we were supposed to land on the fifth. There 85 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:56.519 was no one slept. There was adrenaline stretch, so we went back into 86 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:03.080 to ports wherever we're at the time and kept out of the storm. Then 87 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:11.559 it was June fifth. We went across the English Channel and it was still 88 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:24.720 rough three four foot waves and the morning of the invasion started early for the 89 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:31.200 airborne troops. They dropped in behind the lines that we were supposed to come 90 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:41.559 to and disrupted the British were dropping their troops up behind. They captured this 91 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:54.279 bridge with gliders. The capture of those bridges which made a difference in the 92 00:10:54.360 --> 00:11:03.600 way we came in and took over Omaha Beach in Utah Beach because we had 93 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:09.759 support behind the lungs. That's Jake Larson, a US Army veteran of World 94 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:15.080 War II, including D Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy on June sixth, 95 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.600 nineteen forty four. Mister Larson is now an Internet sensation after his granddaughter 96 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:26.679 posted her conversations with him about his military service on social media. Still to 97 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:30.799 come in this edition, mister Larson talks about the difficulty in getting into the 98 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:35.159 landing crafts, taking withering fire from the Germans above Omaha Beach, and the 99 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:41.039 numerous moments on that day that he believes his life was miraculously spared. In 100 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:46.039 just a moment, you'll hear his vivid memories of Omaha Beach on D Day. 101 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:52.759 I'm Greg Corumbus and this is Veterans Chronicles Sixty Seconds of Service. This 102 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:58.679 sixty Seconds of Service is presented by T Mobile. T Mobile offers exclusive discounts 103 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:03.320 for a veteran and military family and are proud supporters of the National Defense Network. 104 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:07.519 Visit t mobile dot com slash military to learn more about how they support 105 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:11.559 our military community. A new federal report shows a nineteen percent increase in the 106 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:16.200 number of veterans experiencing homelessness in Texas. Local and national advocates are here to 107 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.320 help. There is no VA program in Brian College Station. Veterans looking to 108 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:24.120 access those programs have to travel to Temple for service. Last year, we 109 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:28.000 were able to place four different individuals that were veterans in the system, and 110 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:31.879 through our collaboration with the VA up in Temple, Twin City Mission Director Community 111 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:37.720 Relations Ron Krozier said local organizations like Twin City Mission have stepped up there at 112 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:41.480 home to try and close that gap through their own programs, offering services to 113 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:48.240 help those experiencing homelessness find stability and transition into housing. For more great Veterans 114 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.919 stories, just go to National Defense Network dot com. This is Veterans Chronicles. 115 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:56.759 I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in this edition is Jake Larson. He's 116 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:01.320 a US Army veteran of World War Two and the Allied invasion of Normandy, 117 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:07.440 coming ashore at Omaha Beach on the morning of June sixth, nineteen forty four, 118 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:11.840 and that's exactly where we pick up the story. Mister Larson is about 119 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:16.960 to make the harrowing journey to Omaha Beach from the English Channel, but first 120 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:22.080 he describes the serious challenge of getting on the landing crafts in the first place. 121 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:26.879 When you go down those rope they aren't even ladders, they're just strung 122 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:31.759 over, just rope, and your timing down with seventy five pounds of material 123 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:37.679 hand to your back, and you're carrying your rifle over your shoulder, and 124 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:46.200 the waves that's hired do whatever came up three four feet, so you had 125 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:52.000 to watch how you got into the boat because the boat would come up to 126 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:58.759 meet you or pull away from you. That was one of the most difficult 127 00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:03.519 times. I was the first one in the back of the boat, so 128 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:09.120 I sat by the Navy pilot and watched everybody come into the boat take their 129 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:16.480 places, or thirty of us on there. And I came over with members 130 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:26.600 of the first Infantry Division, the sixteenth Infantry Regiment. This stands out from 131 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:35.279 me because later in my life, when I came over for the seventy fifth 132 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:41.759 anniversary of D Day, I had the five different reporters took me down to 133 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:50.600 the cemetery. I had never been in the military cemetery before. I asked 134 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:54.360 what they wanted me to do, and they said, walk up there. 135 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:03.639 Pretend you're reading what's on the cemetery on the cross. So I walked down 136 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:11.759 and stood and read, and on that cross it's a private I don't remember 137 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:22.279 his name, from the sixteenth Infantry, first Division. It can't happen that 138 00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:26.799 way, but it did. And it was just like, what are those 139 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:35.360 guys from my boat? Was there was there to greet me? It's crazy, 140 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:41.120 tell me about coming ashore. Coming ashore. The navy pilot let us 141 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.679 out too far. We were getting a lot of hits, and we were 142 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:56.639 under terrific small arms fire. Those big guns fourteen inch eight inch and stuff. 143 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:03.720 We're shooting over our heads, but we were walking through a minefield. 144 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:15.639 Over one million mines were planted under our feet. So I'm sitting here in 145 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:21.919 the last So when they dropped the front end of that boat and dropped us 146 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:26.279 off into that water, the water was up to our chins, who were 147 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:32.679 holding the rifles over our heads. And we followed in the line, and 148 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:40.600 I mean we stepped where the person in front of us stepped, because if 149 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:45.279 you if you stepped on one of those mines, there was a spurt of 150 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:49.639 water come up. That meant somebody stepped on the mine. And of course 151 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:56.480 we weren't the only ones that were in line. There were lines going all 152 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:00.799 over and every time you see it, spurt of water come out of one 153 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:07.960 of those lines, that means somebody stepped on a landline. And when we 154 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:12.319 got closer to the shore, I peeled off from my unit and went on 155 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:19.960 Easy Red, and come to find out, Easy Red was the killingest of 156 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:29.480 all the lines, twenty four hundred casualties on Easy Red. I came on 157 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:37.319 that Easy Red and I came through without a scratch. I got in the 158 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:42.519 shore and there was a little berm. I had had two Mg forty two 159 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:48.039 machine guns shooting at me from opposite ends of the cliff, and they had 160 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:59.880 me under fire. But that little burms sandstone burms six eight inches tall was 161 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:04.960 like a god send for me. It was my protector. That's when I 162 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:11.839 got a cigarette out of my pack that didn't get wet and put it in 163 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:19.519 my mouth, and I pulled out a wet match. So I sent someone 164 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:23.680 to my left, so I says, buddy, have you got a match? 165 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:32.599 And I got no answer. So I turned and there was his helmet, 166 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:38.200 but there was no head under the helmet at that moment. It was 167 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:52.440 like his soul himself was telling me get up and go run right now they 168 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:57.839 get off of that beach. So I got up and ran and just it 169 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:03.359 seems I got up. It's like I made this up. But both of 170 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:10.920 those machine guns shut off for a few seconds or more, and I got 171 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:15.200 running, and then they opened up again and they were trying to catch up 172 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:22.319 with me. I was five't ten inches tall at that time. I've 173 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:30.160 weighed one hundred and twenty pounds. I'm thinking, well, those Germans, 174 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:37.640 they don't know how they shoot at a toothpick. But I made it to 175 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:42.240 the cliffs safe. A miracles. What are the miracles in my life? 176 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:48.079 That's Jake Larson, a US Army veteran of World War Two, the D 177 00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:52.480 Day Landings and the Battle of the Bulge. When we come back, mister 178 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.839 Larson takes us through the rest of D Day, how getting an unpleasant assignment 179 00:19:56.119 --> 00:20:00.480 likely saved his life that evening, and the response ability he feels at age 180 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:06.079 one hundred and one to tell his story, the stories of those who died 181 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:11.119 there and the veterans who have since passed on I'm Greg Corumbus, and this 182 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:18.359 is Veterans Chronicles. This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest 183 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:22.640 in this edition is Jake Larson, a US Army veteran of World War II. 184 00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:27.480 Today we're hearing all about his service on D Day, June sixth, 185 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:33.880 nineteen forty four, during the Allied invasion of Normandy. Still to come, 186 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:37.880 you'll hear mister Larson further explain how his life was miraculously spared at Omaha Beach. 187 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:45.039 But first he tries to describe the sound of war at Omaha Beach, 188 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:52.559 the challenges. It was like somebody was shooting firecrackers. A whole bunch were 189 00:20:52.599 --> 00:21:04.079 shooting big boomsmall booms. Just never see a war movie. This was intensified. 190 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.680 It's hard to describe. I'm a twenty one year old sergeant at that 191 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:17.480 time, twenty one years old. You don't know whether you're going to make 192 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:23.039 it or not. Omaha Beach was a killing beach. There's ninety five one 193 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:34.480 hundred buried under the cross. There's another fifteen hundred, fifteen hundred that they 194 00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:44.359 couldn't find a trace of. So those big guns must have found a mark 195 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:51.880 in somebody. It's crazy, And the craziest thing is I'm sitting here talking 196 00:21:51.920 --> 00:22:00.759 to you about my experience. I am the only one left. All those 197 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:07.400 guys I was with, they've all gone on and just can't last forever. 198 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:12.599 In less than two months, I'm going to be one hundred and one. 199 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:18.839 I don't have an acre or pain in my body. I'm blessed. I 200 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:25.680 truly am blessed, and I got total recognition. Why can't I remember all 201 00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:32.720 this stuff? Why do I remember names? Life has been so great for 202 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:37.839 me. I have a saying, there is a God. I'm living proof 203 00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:41.920 there is a god. Jake, you were saying a little while ago, 204 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:47.839 how you were able to advance when the machine guns stopped for a little while. 205 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:52.079 Once they started up again, how did you keep pressing ahead? You 206 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:57.640 put a move on and they have to try to catch up with you. 207 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:02.960 You don't let them catch up. I could move pretty fast at that time. 208 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:08.720 Quite a difference from right now. We're coming out of the off the 209 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:15.480 beach. You don't run up the bluff. That's when you're off the beach. 210 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:19.799 Then that's when the Germans are shooting you from the back too. And 211 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:30.720 we have to this ravine that we were gonna use to uh get up off 212 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:38.200 the beach. The ravine was filled with barbed wire by the Germans, where 213 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:45.599 they had pipes that were filled blasting material. They plug into each other. 214 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:52.839 So we've run some of some of those blasting pipes up there. And while 215 00:23:53.039 --> 00:24:00.799 they were running those up there, three of those guys were killed by the 216 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:07.079 Germans. Then when they brew that Barbaroia haunted her, it opened up for 217 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:11.880 the rest of us. The Germans just cleared out. Once we got through 218 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:19.759 and got up behind them, they just left. What did you do after 219 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:26.680 they left? After they left, I found colonel Lieutenant Colonel Pratt, we 220 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:33.319 started to set up the command post. What were you thinking at the end 221 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:38.920 of the day. I don't remember so much. I remember setting up the 222 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:44.799 command post. I don't remember doing it. I just remember it's done. 223 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:48.839 End of the day. It was about a quarter after seven. I realized 224 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:56.200 I was digging a foxhole along with Corporal Medicine Rich. He was digging his 225 00:24:56.279 --> 00:25:02.680 foxhole. We were going to sleep. We were done with the war. 226 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:10.559 We we had a beachhead and I found a a litter that hadn't been used, 227 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:15.839 So I dug my foxhole a little bit longer. So I put that 228 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:21.680 litter in the bottom, and then if I put my sleeping stuff on the 229 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:27.359 top, that litter would protected from the moisture. It was canvas. At 230 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:36.559 quarter after seven, somebody hollered from the command post, Sergeant Larson, Colonel 231 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:44.440 Hill wants to see you right now. So Colonel Hill is a full bird 232 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:49.920 colonel. He and I worked on on the invasion together. So he got 233 00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:53.839 me in. He says, Uh, Sergeant, he says, First Army 234 00:25:53.960 --> 00:26:00.279 wants me to keep G's tree open twenty four hours a day. He says, 235 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:06.000 you're gonna run the night shift. I says, starting, wind Sir, 236 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:12.000 he says, starting right now. It was quarter after seven. So 237 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:18.119 I went back and told Corporal Rich, I says, Maddie. I says, 238 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:22.480 you can sleep in my fox hole. Now, I got that litter 239 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:27.319 in there, he says, Jakeie, I got my flork sack already here. 240 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:33.079 I'm I'm beat, I'm I'm going to bed. So he laid his 241 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:41.000 M one grand rifle on my litter. He went to sleep. I went 242 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:48.000 to work. At midnight. The Germans sent over a plane to uh find 243 00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:53.559 out what we were doing. So they l lit up that the whole thing 244 00:26:55.559 --> 00:27:04.200 with flares and took pictures out. Well, aggravates are gunners from that shoot 245 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:10.759 the big guns at the planes. So they started shooting up at the plane 246 00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:17.359 that was flying around there and taking pictures. Then that died off, and 247 00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:26.319 I'm supposed to be operating G three at night. I don't remember anything else 248 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:33.759 except that plane flying over and all the guns going off and shooting, And 249 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:37.440 the next thing I knew I was being relieved. There was seven thirty in 250 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:45.079 the morning. So I walked over to Madison Rich. He picked up his 251 00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:52.279 rifle off of my liver and it broke into a piece of shrapnel that they 252 00:27:52.279 --> 00:28:02.599 had shot up at that German airship came down and hit shrapnel laying on my 253 00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:11.799 litter. There is a god. How is it possible? Those Grand rifles 254 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:17.880 were eight pounds that they were solid you see, that had to be hit 255 00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:25.880 just perfect in order to break apart. See I got through the invasion without 256 00:28:25.880 --> 00:28:32.240 a scratch. How Come I wasn't on that litter? How come I was 257 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:41.799 picked to go and operate G three that night. I don't remember doing anything, 258 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:47.920 but I was there and it saved my life. It's crazy, It's 259 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:52.240 plain crazy. Jake, When did you finally get a chance to sleep? 260 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:57.160 You mentioned that you were up since June fourth. Basically, that's the whole 261 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:06.039 thing. They don't have war at night. I've worked at night, things 262 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:11.640 stopped down, and during the day time, well I'm supposed to be sleeping, 263 00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:15.839 they're shooting. They're trying to kill each other. I was in a 264 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:22.559 ditch. It was about three foot high. It was alongside of the road, 265 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:30.039 and I had a shelter half up on there, plugged in, and 266 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:38.319 I can go to sleep in five minutes. And you could put dynamite under 267 00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:41.160 me. That would be the only thing that would wake me up, or 268 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:45.079 but it would kill me. At the same time, I have the ability 269 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:52.759 to sleep and nothing will wake me up. So I woke up and about 270 00:29:52.799 --> 00:30:00.839 two o'clock and on the road just alongside of me, there's guys walking there. 271 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:07.599 They're carrying bags or something, and they're coming up to me and they're 272 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:14.960 laying these bags up. They were sand bags one hundred and fifty five millimeters 273 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:23.519 shell shell. That wall that bigger route was laying five foot from where I'm 274 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:32.680 sleeping, and they were sandbagging it so they could blow it. And I 275 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:36.200 said What the hell are you doing down there? I says, I just 276 00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:40.200 brushed my teeth. I says, I'm gonna shave. Now get the hell 277 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:44.079 out of there. You're supposed to be out there. We got one hundred 278 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:51.960 and fifty five mid shell here that came over right where you're sleeping. You 279 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:59.519 can't make this stuff up. It's how come I came close, always came 280 00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:06.640 close, but close only counts in horseshoe and grenades. It's crazy, just 281 00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:11.640 plain crazy. Well, Jake, many years later, of course, you 282 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:18.559 become famous because of your granddaughter hearing your stories, filming your stories and putting 283 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:22.279 them out there on social media for other people to find, and they become 284 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:27.960 extremely popular. So one of the reasons you're here is to tell your story. 285 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:32.960 So what does it mean to you that so many people now know not 286 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:37.039 only what you did, but all these other people that you can tell their 287 00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:42.960 stories. It caused me to write a book and the name of that book 288 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:52.559 is the Luckiest Man in the World. Who in the world wouldever write a 289 00:31:52.640 --> 00:32:00.000 book like that? The luckiest man in the world, I'm telling you. 290 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:07.720 After I joined the Army National Guard at fifteen for the money that was twelve 291 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:14.599 dollars every three months I'd get but it was like money from heaven. Then 292 00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:20.599 I got the experience. We were like soldiers. We were ready for war 293 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:29.359 when it came. It was these youngsters that grew up karen rifles, being 294 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:35.519 able to shoot them and not being afraid to give their life. There were 295 00:32:35.640 --> 00:32:45.000 so many that gave their life, and it's my duty to honor those guys. 296 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:53.000 I'm here today to tell these stories, and what an honor to serve 297 00:32:53.759 --> 00:33:00.599 with these people. Every one of those guys, they're the hair. I'm 298 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:07.079 not a hero. I'm just relating what I did, and we're trained to 299 00:33:07.160 --> 00:33:12.160 do this, every one of us. We're trained to do this. So 300 00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:16.960 those guys, those guys that have passed on, they're the real heroes. 301 00:33:19.079 --> 00:33:25.599 They're the ones I talk about. They made it possible for me to get 302 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:30.880 through by giving their life. Jake, just a couple more questions. What 303 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:36.160 are you most proud of from your service? I've already don't know how to 304 00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:42.640 answer that, because sitting here I talked to a lot of units. My 305 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:50.640 book is popular with the teachers. I've got eleven teachers that I know of 306 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:58.160 that are using my book as their history book. I've got the University of 307 00:33:58.599 --> 00:34:07.960 Delaware. The history professor there, he interviewed me for four hours. He 308 00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:15.760 came from Delaware to California and interviewed me for four hours. He he's using 309 00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:25.000 that book that he interviewed me with to train his future professors of history, 310 00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:36.239 and that interview is in the library of Eisenhower in Kansas. There's a pride 311 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:45.400 that I'm getting the history of what really went on. And these things are 312 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:52.760 so vivid to me and why there's got to be a god somehow these stories. 313 00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:00.719 You can't make these up. I'm so blessed to have them, and 314 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:05.960 they linger, and it's my duty to get them out. Finally, Jake, 315 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:09.800 what does it mean to you to have the American Veterans Center record and 316 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:15.519 share your story. Oh, it means the world. It means the world. 317 00:35:15.639 --> 00:35:23.760 I'm so thankful to those veterans, and I want the people that are 318 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:31.599 alive and have lost veterans in their service. You can't imagine how many people 319 00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:38.119 comment on that. They write to me. There's people that call me on 320 00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:45.000 the phone and tell me you have given new life to me because the way 321 00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:51.199 you told the story, my grandpa was there or my uncle was there, 322 00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:58.280 it's such a pleasure to hear from those people, and I've got thousands of 323 00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:04.679 them. I answer every one of their letters, every one of their letters. 324 00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:07.960 Jake, it's an honor to speak with you today, sir. Thank 325 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:13.679 you so much for your time, and we thank you for your service and 326 00:36:13.719 --> 00:36:17.480 for your commitment to telling not only your own story of service, but of 327 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:22.000 many of those that you served alongside. So thank you very much. It's 328 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:24.760 been a pleasure. Jake Larsen is a US Army veteran of World War Two. 329 00:36:25.400 --> 00:36:29.679 He was at Omaha Beach on D Day, served at the Battle of 330 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:34.960 Bulge and throughout the war in Europe. He's now an Internet sensation because of 331 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:40.000 his conversations about the war with his granddaughter. I'm Greg Corumbus and this is 332 00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:43.760 Veterans Chronicles.