US Second World War veteran and TikTok star ‘Papa Jake’ attends D-Day events

US veteran Jake Larson poses with a woman for a photograph during a gathering in preparation for the 79th D-Day anniversary in La Fiere, Normandy, France (Thomas Padilla/AP)

Second World War veteran Jake Larson, a 100-year-old American best known on social media under the name Papa Jake, enjoyed giving hugs to the many fans he met during his trip to Normandy for D-Day commemorations.

Mr Larson, who has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, 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.