U.S. veteran SSgt. Jake M. Larson talks to a girl who wears an American flag around her neck during a gathering in preparation of the 79th D-Day anniversary in La Fiere, Normandy, France, Sunday, June 4, 2023. The landings on the coast of Normandy 79 year ago by U.S. and British troops took place on June 6, 1944. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — World War II veteran Jake Larson survived D-Day on Omaha Beach. Now he’s a TikTok star. The 100-year-old American is best known on social media under the name “Papa Jake” He enjoyed giving hugs to the many fans he met during his trip to Normandy for D-Day commemorations. Larson has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok. He attended a ceremony on Tuesday at the American Cemetery marking the 79th anniversary of the assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control. Larson landed on Omaha Beach where he ran under machine-gun fire and made it to the cliffs without being wounded.