Veteran returns to Omaha Beach for first time in 75 years
Seventy-five years ago Thursday, 96-year-old Army veteran Jake Larson stormed Omaha Beach. He is the last living member of his unit. D-Day was a moment that changed his life forever and yesterday was the first time he stepped back onto Omaha Beach. Anthony Mason reports.
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"Please don't remember me, remember the people who sacrificed for our country" Salute to this WW2 Veteran🇺🇸
And everybody else who fought for their country. It was rarely the troops' fault and more the generals. If only the troops arrested or got rid of their generals and just made peace. But freedom isn't free.
Real Hero.
"Freedom is not free"
@Jordan Sharpe don't play the race card
@Jordan Sharpe thank god someone brought this up. It has been almost 30 minutes since i heard someone complain about how their long dead ancestors were treated.
If you fought in a war for this country, you should never have to pay taxes again in your life
for this country? What country are you talking about?
@@vincentwitt1810 ikr
You should never be homeless.
Absolutely agree 100%
ny_kia31 Absolutely !
"And there was no head under the helmet." God. Damn.
How did the helmet stay on if there was no head
@@lambdee7006 Ask him. I'm sure he could explain it.
The soldiers was probably hit directly in the face and the helmet slumped down and probably had the skull still in it. With helmet straps too.
@Steven Criscione swords & shields where the true meaning of war until guns came in to play. But still way better then having mines underneath you as you run to safely trying to survive every second without trying to get shot at by all directions.
@@love4075 bruh
Stopped for a smoke in the middle of the most deadly battle in history Damn it feels good to be a gangsta
That would be Stalingrad, but I get what you mean.
@@FaWaXGG yeah. But stalingrad lasted 5 months. This was only one day
@@shyguy929 The somme (1916) 33,000 troops died on day one Feel bad correcting you but here
That's my Great Grampa Jake for you.
Ya that's badass
“I’m still alive...” a statement most people don’t realize how deep that means 💔
It means hes not dead
@@parallel2795 no no no... It means he didn't get his anus blown apart
He wasn't blasted into inches of flesh basically
@No one can see my face "Tree" idiots, what does that mean?
Best comment here
96 years old. guys looks like he could go another 20+. god bless and never forget.
Just cause you didn’t live long doesn’t mean he cant
@Matt Horkan they can
Matt Horkan 96 is not a lot? 😂
This is my grampa jake! I'm not joking. He lives I think in California, I have always wanted to meet him.
Fearless Phoenix better get out there and meet him, 96 ain’t chicken feed
Jake is now 100 and as of July 2023 still alive and well ❤
"I am the last man" That simple statement from him was so moving, especially because soon there will not be any WW2 veterans left. One of my neighbors growing up was a member of the American landing force on D-Day. Sadly he died in 2015, a couple years after I had graduated high school and moved out. I was so sad when I found out and miss him a lot :(
It’s just as sad that left wing democrats don’t respect these WW2 vets. Unbelievable seriously.
Sharp as a tack at 96 years old!
I know right
I would love to sit with that man and just listen to him.
Good morning
Rosemond Berry g’day!
If i can even make 80 ill be grateful
“Freedom is not free” that quote gave me chills
😔
But, it's so TRUE!!!
Because to earn freedom there is sacrifice and price to pay
So true! Something that is teachd to us Finns in school..
That is true. We didn't earn independence without revolution
The last of one of the greatest generations of human history.
THE GREATEST GENERATION TO EVER LIVE. I mean, they fought in the worst war in the world. They have a million times bigger balls than we will ever have. We salute you.
I can't imagine growing up in the great depression and then going straight to war, I have massive respect for these heroes.
Now, some are outraged by genders.
@@really.rhino12 You got that right. These men sacrificed literally everything and some of them their own lives. Some of those men never even got to step off the boat.
ur so woke bro 🤓
“75 years… How come I’m still alive… I’m still alive” One of the most powerful words I’ve ever heard in my life. Salute to this brave man ✊🏻❤️🔥
God this broke my heart 😂
I tell myself that everyday, ‘How come I’m still alive?’ I’ve never had to go to war, watching this really puts things into perspective.
"I never imagined 75 years later I would stay here at Omaha Beach. This is like a dream come true; this is like winning a lottery" 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻 Jack Larson D-Day Veteran Best regards from Venezuela 🇻🇪
WW1 veterans
"Freedom is not free" couldn't be a more true statement. SSG Jake Larson is a great American. We have been lucky to have men like him.
1WildlandFirefighter true, we all run by a government
@@cloroxbleach7377 This man is my Great Grandfather Jake. I have never met him but I want to.
Freedom is not free, but freedom is also a lie. Nobodies free. We never will be.
@@klausbauer2435 Actually, the Russian army in Poland were the one's who did that.
“To the last man. And I am the last man...” that’s just deep.
"Hey buddy gotta light?" "Oh, guess I'll ask the Germans."
🤠
If he was more of a gangsta he would raise the cig and wait for a bullet to light it
The explosions will cause a fire on the beach, which will light up not only his cigarette but him as well!
@@somekid6273 thats just smart lol
“Hans! Get ze flamthrower!”
This man was in the middle of one of the most horrible and legendary battles in history... And he stopped a sec for a smoke... We're all gonna die one day, some brave enough to choose how
The US government should pay for any of those guys that want to return over there for everything they have done and sacrificed
French gov has invited a lot of them for'free since decades.
Nahhhhh Disagree.........Pay millions for trumps entourage to come over far more worth it........N O T
Bunsky Are you okay?
Dave Macca get over it we would have had to pay for any elected entourage to go. This not about them this is about those who fought & those who sacrificed.
Yeah.. As a former service member... They should !!!
It made me tear up when he said “ why am i still alive”😢😢😢
Please, sir...no survival's guilt! You are alive because you were chosen to live and tell the story to these many generations!
@@vivians9392 Not choice but just probability in my eyes. Only the good men die young.
@@walangchahangyelingden8252 the ones who survived are not of any less. They to made a sacrifice.
@@walangchahangyelingden8252 absolutely probability, but not only the good die young. This man was a hero. And a GREAT man. Show some respect
Both of you have utterly misunderstood the saying; taking it in a negative way, missing what it actually means.
He turned 100 not long ago. What a great man, the souls of his mates live thru him.
"Freedom is not free" So true; my Grandfather was there, with British Military Intelligence. My next door neighbour (now 97, and in good health) was there too. Americans, Canadians, Brits and others. Heroes all.
Liar
I wish I could be as badass as this man.
A good start would be not using that pfp.
I'd say the same thing, just being there and surviving made you a badass !!!
Patrick O'Connor “just”
@@Swantetant oof.
Your local recruiter is waiting for you 😂
Thank you for your service. Your generation was really the greatest!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
He is my grandfha💓
unlike boomer
@@octavian7126 omg stfu and I'm 26
Gen z will be the last to see them 🙁
@@iminvisible873 😔
D-Day was 77 years ago today. No amount of thanks could ever be enough for what the men did that day. I knew someone that was there. Thank You Charlie Frazier.
This made me tear up so much! You are a true hero! You make me feel even more proud to be in the Army serving our country!
thank you Jake and all others who survived D-Day and those who died on the beaches
And to all the others who were in WWII and all other wars and serving now
I especially grieve all those teenage boys who died on D-Day; lives cut short, and their young Mothers, many still in their 30s, who lost their sons and future families, too...
@@vivians9392 alot of them drafted without choice..
What a great guy and so modest. He has a great sense of humour. I'm English and my father was in the British Army during WW2. I just want to thank these brave GI's who came over the pond to help us fight the Nazi's and laid down their lives so we might enjoy the freedom we have. God bless America.
Michael Turnbull I'm a former U.S. Army soldier myself and God bless the English too.Our two countries will always be the best allies !!!
@_jeff _ yeah but they lost cuz they had a buffon sociopath for a leader.
Michael Turnbull takes two to tango thanks to our British brothers for giving the greatest sacrifice aswell🇬🇧 🇺🇸
Michael Turnbull I’m American, and god bless you brits for your fighting effort in ww2. You resisted the Nazis, before the world started too.
@@polishherowitoldpilecki5521 thats damn true us America did not want to be involved we were forced but the britts went full force . Bless both sides we all lost.
This is one of the most inspiring video I’ve seen. God bless this man from a weekend warrior marine reserves
He seems so coherent and sharp for his age! Great humor too. A truly incredible man
Coherent and still able to walk and talk.
I'm going to buy his book when he publishes it.
God bless you Sir Jake, thank you for your service.
Europeans don't care about " his service"
@@freedomatlast8756 wow, circumstances in a comment section of a Video that shows u that Europeans care about it. For shame that u said this.
@@freedomatlast8756 I'm European and I care. This guy looks so happy but I can't imagine how sad he must be every time he wakes up during the night.
@@freedomatlast8756 im british i do
@@freedomatlast8756 are you slow? Europe was where he fought! The French military even honored him
What an inspiration this man is! God bless him and all who were there.
“Remember freedom is not free” pops nailed it
Thank you hero ! From france
Ce vétéran est un menteur. Il n'a pas débarqué à Omaha le 6 juin, 1944. Faisant partie du quartier général du V Corps, une unité non-combattant, il est resté abord le USS Acon le 6 juin et jusqu'à quelques jours après. C'est honteux envers les vrais héros.
M A P i
@@map1490 really?post your proof here that he was a lair
No ones innocent in war
Translation of what MAP said. This veteran is a liar. He did not land at Omaha on June 6, 1944. As part of the V Corps Headquarters, a non-combatant unit, he remained first at USS Acon on June 6 and until a few days later. It's shameful to the real heroes.
thank you. I was born October 1942. The government should pay for you.
What are you some kind of Communist?
my dad landed on omaha beach on 6/6/44 under fire. after retiring he paid his own way to normandy in the mid 1990s on his own. no hoorah, just a simple visit.
@@imnotyourfriendbuddy1883 no I'm a huge US Patriot and anti socialist. But what theese men did and the remaining ones. I believe the US owes them a debt
@@jamesk5541 Those brave men don't need no socialist handout. This is 'Murrica.
For god sake, what is bloody socialist about funding these men who served their country, the world, in this epic battle? There is only a few left anyway and I guess most of them will make it on their own, maybe with a little help of family friends and neighbours. The few who can't because they can not afford it, shouldn’t they be supported by the same gouvernment who sent them there 75 years ago, at more than ten times the costs? Now just a simple plane ticket to the last big commemoration with the last few surviving soldiers. Just a few dollars of tax money, look at the billions Washington spends on the army every year, billions poured in supporting Saoudi Arabia so they can fund even more extremist muslim factions blowing up westerners, but a few dollars spend on these great men is communism??
Brought tears to my eyes, thank you Jake and to all the brave soldiers, you are an amazing generation.
My great grandfather was a WW2 veteran. He passed away September 11,2021 at 95 years old. I also had a great great uncle who was also a WW2 veteran who passed years ago. I'm so grateful to have a family full of veterans (grandfather was in Vietnam and is currently still alive at 78 years old).
How bout you are you joining the military
Wow. Mentality sharp and VERY mobile at 96. Wow. Wow wow wow. SALUTE. I can’t even begin to put into words what I think of this man or what he has experienced in his life. Thank you so much for what you did for the future of our country.
Thank you sir for your service and sacrifice to this great nation. You and the rest that fought during WW2 are truly the Greatest Generation Ever!
Hearing these great men tell their stories never fails to give me goosebumps
Mad respect to this man. Thank you for your service
Wow , what a great man and hero. Thank you sir 😃👏👏
18 million records burned in a 1973 fire at the personnel records center in St. Louis, including my dad’s, unfortunately.
Ever ask yourself how (why) the fire started....................?
@@death2pc so the V.A wouldnt have ro pay these vets out
My Grandfather's also....I do wonder what really happened there.
Absolutely amazing how humble all these veterans stay through everything
Wow. My heart melted when he said, "to the last man and I am the last man." 😭
God Bless you Jake. I'm blessed to hear your story😅
Respect from France...thanks again and again
What a guy this one brought me to tears God love him
Incredible. I love how he said i'm the luckiest man alive. He's clearly so grateful to have made it through and lived a long life. so happy he was able to go back and see this place at peace. I cant even imagine what these veterans went through. The greatest generation by far and we owe them all the respect in the world.
Jake, you're such a quick-witted, sweet guy! Many heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you and all of the greatest generation! 🇺🇸🇺🇸❤❤
What a Great Story!!! it was a honor to get to hear his memories...
God bless you and thank-you xx
Not enough words to explain his bravery. Thank you for your service sir. 🙏
This was so heart felt. Thank you to all who helped this soilder make it there.... To all the Americans who lived and died for our great flag and purpose, I thank you...
Still sharp after 75 years!! *INCREDIBLE* !! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
God bless you, Sir. You are indeed from the greatest generation and we are forever grateful for your service.
Stories like this make me so emotional and so happy for this brave man to be alive and to tell us his amazing story with his men who fight for our freedom. A true man, a true HERO. 👍🏻😊❤️💥👊🏻 Thank you sir.
"To the last man.... and I am the last man"
Jake's story about lighting a cigarette on the the beach after landing is similar to one about two Tommies a few miles up. The first thing they did was to get on dry land and brew up some tea while still under fire. You can imagine the conversation. "Sod this for a game of soldiers!" These stories are priceless.
Louis Rachmanstein Why do you think that he lied? Just curious.
@Anton Anton Are you kidding? Talk to rank and file infantrymen, veterans especially as I have, and they will tell you operations like these (as hazardous as they were) are part of their work, what they are trained to do. Of course they smoked cigarettes and brewed tea under fire, this isn't Hollywood, a video game, or reading a book from an armchair.
@Anton Anton Hi Anton. Basically I agree, only I would omit the the word "probably." regards smoking a ciggy. I discussed battle behaviour once with a UK paratroop veteran. To the idea of making tea on the Sword Beach soon after landing and under fire, he just looked at me and said "of course, why not?", as though the question itself was silly and irrelevant. Of course, I'm just referring to British troops, tea being an essential requirement whenever, wherever. You might also recall Lord Lovat's piper being instructed to play during this assault in full view of the German defenders. I once talked to a highland infantryman who took part in a particularly bloody Middle-Eastern conflict during the 1960's. He described one active service operation I was privy to as "nothing more that a normal days work" with a shake of the shoulders. All good stuff, all true.
You are a great man, Jake! Greatest generation!
All of these videos make me cry. The bravery, the pain, it’s a lot.
True hero - thank you from all of us in Britain
Big salute to you my friend, thank you for your service, may God bless you.
May God bless that man on Earth and in Heaven.
Veterans are so valuable. It's sad to know that many of them don't get the admiration and care they deserve.
My father was in the same infantry in WWII. The 34th. God bless them.🙏
You're a true hero Jake . May God bless you and your family . Greetings from France
Sir, I thank you for your service. I remember those who gave their life June 6th 1944 but I now will also remember you!
what a wonderful man, Thank you Sir.
Absolute Legend. Thank you sir.
Nothing but love and RESPECT for this man and his buddies who stormed the beaches of Normandy, overcoming fear of certain death, rushing towards those mines and the bullets waiting for them. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Thank you for your service. And every soldier from all country's who took part in D..Day. My greatest respect.
I live in germany and I got to talk to german veteran of WW2, he kinda impressed me when he said that he always respected the tenacity of the allied forces and that he considers them, to this day, brothers in arms, because they shared the same battlefields and experiences. I salute all veterans and soldiers in current wars, god bless you all
Wow i also live in germany i got to talk to my great grandpa he was a part off the Hitler Youth he was 13 when he was on the frontlines he died when i was about 10
He’s so cute and humble. I literally love him so much omg I want to hug him!!! 🥰🥰💛💛
My respect and gratitude for you and all who served for us. Thank you, and God Bless you Sir!
Great man .... respect to you sir ... thank you to your generation ....
"Freedom is not free" what a man, a hero
so much energy for 96year old, what an nice guy, hats off..
"Freedom is not free" ❤️💙👏🏻
I wish I could spend an entire day just talking to these veterans. It'd give you a perspective on life and what matters the most in this world.
He is so blessed and precious
The courage these men had and still have
Wonderful man! Thank you for your service!!!
God bless Him and all our soldiers.🗽🇺🇸
Absolute legend. Thank you sir
Never forget all those souls lost that day. Thank you Jake.
thank you very much, god bless this man
What an honor & pleasure to hear & see you Mr Jake Larson Your timeless wisdom should be taught in all USA Schools A million Blessings to you
Dear sir thank you and everyone who served then and now
He is truly a good man God bless him.
Thank you for youre service sir. Lots of respect. from the Netherlands.
🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱
God bless you Mr. Jake , Thank you for your service !!!
What a wonderful hero! Beautifully expressed!
What a great guy, much respect
Thank you Mr Larson from Wales UK, and thank god America joined us in that war, without them we would have fallen. x
Nah USSR safed you from falling
UnrulyST ussr had plans of invading the west. Go educate yourself before you spew ignorant statements
@@unrulyst1167 well both the US and USSR. Victory wouldn't have been possible with only one of them.
I believe God had it in His plan from the beginning, and in his own time!
@@mrcavalier3370 Whatever USSR had in their plans if Russian fell during the German invasion America could do absolutely nothing.
Truly was an outstanding generation. My brothers and myself with my father's 8 brothers all served our country and I will always be proud of that .God bless that man and anyone else who served this great country!
Thx for ur serv.
He deserves more than most to live a long life
Talk about seeing things in your day. This man has lived through a lot.
Jake is literally the best 🥺
He reminds me of all the young adult men I grew up around as a little girl in the late 40s.
Thank u sir 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 .. My great uncle served in the marines he was a tanker only one in his tank to servive at Guadalcanal. . semper fi uncle bill...
How proud I am of this gentleman ❤
This man has a heart of gold