203 - D-Day & Battle Of The Bulge: The LUCKY Life Of A 102 Year Old Veteran! | Unsubscribe Podcast Ep 203

Summary

Unsubscribe Podcast Episode 203 Summary: "D-Day & Battle Of The Bulge: The LUCKY Life Of A 102 Year Old Veteran!"

Released on March 10, 2025

In Episode 203 of the Unsubscribe Podcast, hosts Eli Doubletap, Brandon Herrera, Donut Operator, and The Fat Electrician engage in a profound and heartfelt conversation with Jake Larson, a 102-year-old World War II veteran. This episode delves deep into Jake's remarkable life, his harrowing experiences during the war, and the serendipitous events that have contributed to his longevity and "luck."

1. Introduction and Welcome

The episode begins with the hosts extending a warm welcome to Jake Larson, celebrating his incredible life and service. Donut Operator emphasizes the honor of having Jake on the show, highlighting his esteemed position as the last surviving member of his service unit.

Donut Operator [02:21]: "It's a beautiful story."

2. Early Life and Background

Jake shares his humble beginnings, growing up on a farm in Hope, Minnesota, born on December 20, 1922. He recounts the challenges of farm life during the Great Depression, including manual labor and the absence of modern conveniences.

Jake Larson [09:19]: "We milked 30 cows by hand every morning and night..."

3. Joining the Military

At the tender age of 15, Jake joined the National Guard by lying about his age. His determination and early enlistment set the stage for his future military career.

Jake Larson [08:55]: "I was 15 years old."

4. Service Experiences

a. Training and Early Service

Jake discusses his initial training at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, where he earned his Bronze Star for his role in planning the D-Day invasion. His proficiency in typing became invaluable, leading to his transfer to the headquarters company as a company clerk.

Jake Larson [05:31]: "That is an actual Hamilton 1942 watch."

b. Deployment Overseas

The veteran narrates his journey across the Atlantic aboard the Aquitania, facing perilous conditions such as submarine threats and harsh weather. His accounts paint a vivid picture of life at sea during wartime.

Jake Larson [24:07]: "I'm the only one still alive. Of all the people I was in the service with..."

c. D-Day Operations

Jake provides a firsthand account of the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach. Assigned to G3, he was integral in planning and executing operations, operating the command post around the clock. His survival through intense combat scenarios underscores his resilience.

Jake Larson [49:21]: "I run Omaha beach every night from 7:30 at night till 7:30 in the morning."

d. Battle of the Bulge

During the Battle of the Bulge, Jake recounts the fierce fighting in Belgium, including witnessing the massacre at Malmedy. His bravery and strategic decisions played a crucial role in key military actions.

Jake Larson [74:23]: "Battle of the Bulge starts on December 15th."

5. Awards and Recognition

For his exceptional service, Jake was awarded the Bronze Star. However, he expresses humility regarding his accolades, attributing his survival and success to sheer luck and the valor of his comrades.

Jake Larson [98:25]: "I really was ashamed of getting that Bronze Star."

6. Transition to Civilian Life

Post-war, Jake transitioned to civilian life as a journeyman electrician. He shares stories of repairing cars during the late 1940s and the challenges of rebuilding his life after the devastation of war.

Jake Larson [91:48]: "I can overhaul any car and that's the way you had to get by."

7. Family and Personal Life

Jake's personal life is equally touching. He met his wife, Lola, through serendipitous events, leading to a lifelong partnership celebrated through their shared experiences and mutual support.

Jake Larson [97:05]: "She loved to wash her hair wrapped around her head. No, my makeup on."

8. Book and Recent Honors

Jake authored a book titled "The Luckiest Man in the World," detailing his life's journey. His stories gained widespread recognition, leading to honors from various institutions and a significant social media following, including over 1.2 million followers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Jake Larson [101:07]: "They started using that interview to train his future professors."

9. Reflections and Final Thoughts

Reflecting on his century-long life, Jake emphasizes gratitude and the belief in luck playing a pivotal role in his survival and well-being. He attributes his sharp memory and lack of physical ailments to divine favor and a positive outlook.

Jake Larson [82:30]: "I don't have an acre of pain in my body. How many of you can say that?"

Jake also touches upon modern conflicts and expresses concern over current global tensions, underscoring his hope for peace and the preservation of life.

Jake Larson [115:15]: "How do you get by that? What in the hell is with Putin?"

Notable Quotes

• Jake Larson [02:11]: "It's crazy. My life is crazy. And it's crazy. I'm down here with you guys. You former veterans. Thank you for your service."

• Jake Larson [08:26]: "Grade school at 4 years old."

• Jake Larson [34:27]: "He's the big wig out there."

• Jake Larson [65:00]: "We kicked Hitler's ass right out of Europe. We did that."

• Jake Larson [106:31]: "There is a God. I'm living proof for all that I've gone through."

Conclusion

Episode 203 of the Unsubscribe Podcast offers listeners an extraordinary glimpse into the life of Jake Larson, a surviving World War II veteran whose stories of courage, survival, and profound gratitude are both inspiring and humbling. Through his detailed recounting of pivotal moments from his youth, military service, and post-war life, Jake embodies the resilience and fortitude that define generations of veterans. This episode stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of those who served and the invaluable lessons they impart to future generations.

For those interested in exploring more of Jake's stories, his book "The Luckiest Man in the World" is available on Amazon, and his social media channels such as YouTube and TikTok feature additional content and interactions with his growing audience.

Transcript

[Donut Operator]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians.

[Cody]

These are things people say about drivers.

[Donut Operator]

Who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could.

[Cody]

Save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates.

[Donut Operator]

Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[Jake Larson]

I got in on the planning of the invasion. I got the bronze star for that.

[Donut Operator]

All these little stories tie in your life to being the luckiest man ever. It's beautiful story.

[Jake Larson]

We kicked Hitler's ass right out of Europe.

[Brandon Herrera]

I assume there was a statute of limitations to that. Or you can talk about it now.

[Jake Larson]

I don't care anyway. What can they do to me?

[Donut Operator]

That's my boy.

[Jake Larson]

Say hi to Eli. He's racially ambiguous.

[Donut Operator]

Brandon.

[Jake Larson]

His hair is fucking fabulous. And donut, a dark dope disposition. And there's a fat electrician. Welcome to unsubscribe.

[Donut Operator]

Oh, hey, everyone.

[Jake Larson]

Quick update.

[Donut Operator]

These go on sale today. You can.

[Jake Larson]

They're up.

[Donut Operator]

Does their night camo in brown and green. Yay. Okay, now I think we're finally caught up. And then. Are you ready to drink this, Mr. Grandpa Jake?

[Jake Larson]

I don't want anything right now.

[Donut Operator]

No. Okay, well, can we pop it on the camera for us on the count of three?

[Jake Larson]

You can pop it on here.

[Donut Operator]

No, you gotta pop it. I'll help you. You ready? Hold it right here. We're gonna crack it on three.

[Jake Larson]

One, two, three.

[Donut Operator]

Cody started off.

[Cody]

Hi, everyone. Welcome to the unsubscribed podcast. I'm joined today by Eli Double Papa, Jake Larson, Brandon Herrera, myself, donut operator. Thank you so much for being here. This is a very special episode for us.

[Jake Larson]

We have. Papa.

[Donut Operator]

We are so stoked for this. We have a real, like, World War II veteran. You're a young 102.

[Jake Larson]

It's crazy. My life is crazy. And it's crazy. I'm down here with you guys. You former veterans. Thank you for your service. I thank all the veterans. I'm here today because of all those guys that paved the way for me. They died. They died. Think of it. I came through alive without a scratch today. I'm the only one still alive. Of all the people I was in the service with, well, you did.

[Donut Operator]

We are truly blessed to have you around. So is your family. Everyone on the Internet loves you. And it is an honor from all of us as veterans to say thank you for the path you paved for each one of us. And actually, this is one thing your family knew about this. We have a surprise for you. You. They didn't unless they told you, and then they're in trouble.

[Brandon Herrera]

So is this an actual real surprise, or did we get cheated here?

[Donut Operator]

So you were at dj. We have the. Oh, the Life magazine. Oh.

[Jake Larson]

From dj.

[Donut Operator]

And the people over at Vortech RT from Vortech and Colorado Watch wanted you to have this, which is all yours to take home. This is from 1943. So the actual Life magazine from 1943. So leading into the war. And then this. Open that up. Open it up, good sir.

[Brandon Herrera]

Is it unlocked?

[Donut Operator]

There it is.

[Brandon Herrera]

I'm not sure I know how to open that up.

[Jake Larson]

Whoa, whoa. Take it out.

[Donut Operator]

This is yours. So Vortech Watch RT and all of us here at unsub and the entire community out there, we want to give you a piece of history.

[Jake Larson]

Whoa.

[Donut Operator]

So this is. That is an actual Hamilton 1942 watch. There's only 10,000 of those made. That is a. Was it a comparing watch? So that was actually at D day. That was used on the ships to tell time and seek everything up using.

[Jake Larson]

I got happy tears. Thank you.

[Donut Operator]

No, thank you, guys.

[Jake Larson]

That's. They did all this for you. This is. Will be in my family forever, I'll tell you that. What an honor. What an honor.

[Donut Operator]

Look at the back. You got everything. And even it's. This has the. The date of when it was made. So those were actual. Stop. Was it Stop. Pocket watch. And they used to check with the ship's chromometer, whatever it's called, to match all the times at that time. So all the ships had same times. But that was actually. Hamilton made 10,000. They were all sent to D Day. And then Vortech actually repurposed that watch for you to have as a gift, as just a thank you for you, your family, for coming out here and just wanted to give you an.

[Jake Larson]

I wanted to tell you this. I didn't come down here to receive a watch because I don't think I'm any different than any other soldier that was in the service. But I am luckier. That's the name of my book, the Luckiest man in the World. I think I'm a little bit heavy on that, but my life is. It's. You read that book. You're going to say, yes, he is the luckiest man in the world. So right now I'm ready for some questions.

[Donut Operator]

As the luckiest man in the world.

[Cody]

We get into it.

[Donut Operator]

We have a lot of questions. So many. I'm glad you OO show.

[Jake Larson]

Well, I'm gonna be here till they're answered. Perfect.

[Brandon Herrera]

We have him for what, seven, eight hours?

[Jake Larson]

I'll stick it out.

[Donut Operator]

God, I love that thing. Did you guys ever see this one?

[Brandon Herrera]

I have never seen it. Did you say something like it was a converted pocket watch?

[Jake Larson]

Mm.

[Donut Operator]

So it was turned into a pocket watch to an actual wristwatch. Beautiful. They bought Vortech. AJ Bought a whole bunch of those and then just the remaining ones. And that was one of the few times Hamilton was US based, so it was made in America.

[Brandon Herrera]

Beautiful.

[Donut Operator]

For the entire war effort.

[Brandon Herrera]

That is genuinely beautiful. I'm very jealous of your watch.

[Jake Larson]

You're not gonna get it off of me.

[Brandon Herrera]

I wouldn't want to fight you for it. I promise you that.

[Jake Larson]

Dude.

[Donut Operator]

It was the second they heard you were actually at Normandy. They were so fast. I'm like, hey, can we send something for him? It's like a hundred percent. We would love that. So we appreciate you coming out now for questions.

[Jake Larson]

We.

[Donut Operator]

You sent the book to us. Your family did. And I was going to distribute it to everyone so we could all read it until I started reading your stories. And then I was like, oh, no. I want the guys to have a genuine reaction on camera because again, you are very lucky, as you will say, as we. When I walked in, I was like, how did you not get shot? And I did. First thing I said, I was like, this dude's way luckier than me. But you were born in 1922.

[Jake Larson]

Yes, in December 20, 1922.

[Donut Operator]

And this is during the.

[Jake Larson]

There was 11 days left of 1922. Now, that changed my life because when I told people I was born 22, they always consider I'm a year older. I think myself was born in 23C, but it's. I started school at 4 years old. Grade school.

[Donut Operator]

Grade school at 4 year olds.

[Jake Larson]

I graduated 8th grade out of grade school and went to high school at 12 years old.

[Donut Operator]

What's crazy is you have. Do you. Can you tell the story of, like, you lived on a farm a majority of your life before joining the military?

[Jake Larson]

Correct, sir, I joined the National Guard in 1938.

[Donut Operator]

And at what age?

[Jake Larson]

I was 15 years old.

[Donut Operator]

He was 15 when he joined. And that was.

[Jake Larson]

You lied about Your age only 3 years.

[Donut Operator]

I love it. Now, when you were a child, one of the stories you're telling, and you were nine years old for this, but you were taking. You were selling a cow during a blizzard. Yes, a nine year old.

[Jake Larson]

We had a farm. I was born and raised on a farm. No electricity, no running water. Had to go to a pump. Pump by hand. And we milked 30 cows by hand every morning and night and carrying a lantern to the barn and moving the lantern up and hanging it in the bub as you milk the cows. Well, if a cow can't get with calf, she doesn't milk. So in the middle of December, when I was nine years old, this cow, we had to haul in a sleigh six miles. And the cattle buyer there weighed that cow. She weighed 700 pounds. I don't know how it came out exactly 700, but it did. It did come out 700 pounds. I asked you, what do you think we got for that cow? We got seven dollars. That was depression.

[Cody]

One dollar per 100 pounds.

[Jake Larson]

One cent a pound. Wow.

[Donut Operator]

One cent a pound.

[Jake Larson]

So when I got a chance to go to high school after graduating eighth grade, the teacher, Mrs. Jeffrey, stuck a little note in my pocket. She says, give this to your mother and dad. So, of course, I had to read that sucker before I got home. And it says, Mr. And Mrs. Larson, I suggest you give Jake a chance to go to high school. He's a fast learner. My dad read that. He says, be no high school for you. He says, I got you to do the chores. I'm from a family of eight. I'm number seven. There's four older boys than me. My oldest brother, 16 years older than me, left home when he was 18, so I hardly knew him as a brother. Next is Earl, 14 years older than me. He's a horseman. We had 30 horses. He broke the horses. They were off of the prairie, wild horses. He'd broke them, shooed them, trained them to pull implements. So when my dad said, there'll be no high school for you, you got chores to do. I forgot about high school all that summer. And then the high school sent out a notice. Two weeks to register for high school. Earl, 14 years older than me, never entered the cow barn before. He always did the horses. He stepped up and said, if you let Jake go to high school, I'll do his chores for him. I'm here courtesy of my brother Earl.

[Donut Operator]

That's an amazing brother right there.

[Cody]

He stepped up for you just so.

[Donut Operator]

You could go to school. That's awesome.

[Jake Larson]

I got happy tears. I know he's here today.

[Donut Operator]

The amount of stories that you have throughout your life, which do even from your wife, and we'll get into that. It is. It's those things like where his brother did something or how you met your wife. All these little stories, tired in your life. To being the luckiest man ever. It's beautiful. Story. And then when you, what was one when you were, you just, you had your family, you were doing high school and then you were at 15 years old, what were you doing leading up to like, hey, I want to join the National Guard or the military.

[Jake Larson]

There was never told my folks about that. Man, I gotta lead up to that. Lead away, sir. Anyway, I started driving 14 miles into Owatonna in the fall. And then winter came. And winter in Minnesota was snow. No wheel things got chewed. They took the box off the wagon and put it on sleigh runners and that's how we'd get to Hope. It was two miles to Hope where our mailbox was for.

[Donut Operator]

Your mailbox was two miles away.

[Jake Larson]

And I had to stop driving because there weren't no snow plows at that time. So my dad got together with a former neighbor that had moved into Otana and bartered for my room and board. When I say depression, it was depression. I was starting out of high school and I made friends already and my dad came to me and after two months he says, you're going to have to quit high school. I can't afford to pay for your room and board. I says, what are you paying for my room and board? He says, a dozen eggs and a pound of butter a month. Eggs were 1 cent a piece, butter was 36 cents a pound.

[Donut Operator]

Guys, when you leave your dogs at home, do you ever worry that they might find your firearm?

[Brandon Herrera]

Damn. Maybe the ATF is onto something. No, I never thought about that.

[Donut Operator]

Introducing Stop box.

[Jake Larson]

Stop box.

[Brandon Herrera]

Stop box. I'm sure a lot of you guys and gals have a handgun for self defense, as we all do. And if you do, it Pro fits into one of two categories. It's locked up, but not within reach or it's just laying around where anybody could have access to it.

[Donut Operator]

Well, StopBox USA saw the problem and they came up with the Stopbox Pro.

[Brandon Herrera]

It's all mechanical so you don't have to worry about it. It's batteryless, ribbed for your pleasure.

[Cody]

What I love about this is it's TSA approved. Most gun cases, when you want to fly with a weapon has three or four little holes. This one has one. So you only need one lock and.

[Brandon Herrera]

Then you do your.

[Donut Operator]

Our listeners are getting 10% off if you use code unsubsc and right now they're doing buy one, get one free. That's a crazy deal.

[Brandon Herrera]

That's 10% off and a free Stopbox Pro. When you use code [e-mail] 10% and.

[Donut Operator]

Buy one, get one. They have to be operating at a loss.

[Brandon Herrera]

One of my favorite parts about the Stopbox is that it is actually Made in America.

[Donut Operator]

Made in America. Discover a better way to balance security and readiness with Stopbox.

[Jake Larson]

Starbucks.

[Brandon Herrera]

Starbucks Stopbox.

[Cody]

Jake, I have a question for you. During that time, what were you eating? During that time, what was the meal that you would have every day?

[Jake Larson]

Oh, well, they fed us meals. We had cornbread and home baked bread. People weren't buying things from the store. Hell, a loaf of bread at that time cost 10 cents. That's 10 eggs.

[Donut Operator]

And then what was your.

[Jake Larson]

While I was going to high school, my dad was paying off the farm, 160 acres and he couldn't come up with the payment. And they were going to foreclose. President Roosevelt signed that land act. Blumen Prairie, Minnesota, was 18 miles from my home. I remember my parents going there and getting a loan and paying off that loan. It was for $500. It was like 5 million now, but he saved the farm. But my dad was a bootlegger. He made his own whiskey. He'd sell a pint of whiskey, 86 proof for $1 and a half a pint for 50 cents.

[Donut Operator]

We would have been good friends with him.

[Jake Larson]

He didn't make a tremendous amount of money, but it helped.

[Brandon Herrera]

Sounds like dad was really cool.

[Jake Larson]

And then one of his best friends turned him in because the Feds offered him $5 to point out whoever was bootlegging. So my dad spent six months in Austin, Minnesota jail. While he was in jail, my mother said, this is our 25th years of marriage. So she made an angel food cake. And my brother Leo, who's 10 years older than me, I was eight at that time. He drove our Jewett sedan to Austin, 35 miles and he was 8 foot highways, cement highways there between. And he says, look, ma, we're doing a mile a minute. That was one of the highlights of my career, man.

[Brandon Herrera]

Going that fast at 60 miles an hour.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah.

[Cody]

Did you ever help your dad out with the distilling the whiskey?

[Jake Larson]

Like he didn't allow anybody to mess with. That was his own thing.

[Donut Operator]

Can you tell us.

[Jake Larson]

My brother Leo put a cup under the drip of the alcohol in the. That's nearly 200 proof that comes out of there. And he'd put it in his own bottle and hide it in a stump someplace.

[Cody]

Good old stump whiskey.

[Donut Operator]

Your brother was ahead of the time. Tell the boys about the coffee punch you made at. Was it coffee punch?

[Jake Larson]

Oh. Oh. I was five years old and my dad and mother went to town to get more sugar, I guess for running through distill and some flour and stuff. Just necessities. We grew all the vegetables. My mother canned everything. That house only had heat from a wood flat, wood stove. She did all the cooking on that. In the summertime when the garden was producing, we had 100 degree weather and humidity every day. How. How she managed to do these things is befounding. When my dad said I couldn't go to school anymore, taxing him too much for paying for my room and board, I told my friend Bob Myers the story. He says, jake, he says, come home with me tonight. My mother is a widow. She runs a room and board house for eight people. I want you to meet her. So he took me home with her. She was a duplicate of my mother, kind, loving woman. So I agreed to help her. I couldn't go out for any sports when I did that. I had to rush home every noon to serve these eight people. She, this Mrs. Myers, was out helping others so she could make money on the side. Everything was sold, tightly held back. Didn't have any money go in until I'm 15 years old. I'm going to high school. And when I started the 15th year, the principal called me in and said, you got room for another subject? I said, what are you talking about? She says, you could handle another subject. And she read off a list and typing was one of them. So I took a typing class for a year. I was the only boy in the class of 30.

[Brandon Herrera]

Good for you.

[Jake Larson]

At the end of one year, I could type 50 words a minute.

[Donut Operator]

Especially when you can't make mistakes.

[Jake Larson]

Now, that typing class is why I'm sitting here talking to you right now.

[Brandon Herrera]

Why is that?

[Jake Larson]

Why is that? The outfit I was with, the 34th, the 135th Infantry Regiment. I joined when I was 15. And we were put in the Federal service before I was 18. And we landed up down in Louisiana, Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. And that's where I was when Pearl harbor started. How many people you know that was in the service before Pearl Harbor? You.

[Donut Operator]

Don. Well, before Don Graves was. Was he in before Pearl.

[Brandon Herrera]

I'm trying to remember.

[Donut Operator]

Do you know?

[Cody]

Yeah.

[Jake Larson]

No. He enlisted afterwards.

[Brandon Herrera]

That was the reason he enlisted. I don't think we've ever met a single person that was enlisted before Pearl Harbor.

[Jake Larson]

So that was before the war and most of them were drafted. And you see, I'm a National Guardsman. The difference between a National Guardsman and a regular infantryman is a serial number and I'm not joking. I have eight digits in my serial number. A selectee or one that joined in that army has nine.

[Donut Operator]

I did not know that.

[Jake Larson]

When we got down to Camp Claiborne, the first thing they did is they put us on maneuvers. Division maneuvers.

[Donut Operator]

What were you doing for those maneuvers?

[Jake Larson]

Division maneuvers. We were out with the alligators, the poisonous snakes. They had poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders and it's triggers. My God, they eat you up. So in June, the maneuvers were over. We got back to Camp Claiborne and Amos Graham said, jake, let's go into Alexandria and get something good for the eatin'so. They got a pass. We went into Alexandria, Louisiana, 18 miles, I think it was. But they had the trucks haul us in, those would pass us. So we got in and Amos says, what do you want first? I said, oh, I want to have a chocolate milkshake. So I got a chocolate milkshake and was just about finished with that and I said, boy, Amos, I'm getting sick. He says, you can't get sick on a milkshake. I said, I am getting sick. I'm going to have to vomit. So I had to vomit and I was still sick. So I said, amos, I'm going back to the trucks. This is Saturday night, I said, and go back to camp. So I went back to camp and went to bed. At 5 o'clock in the morning, Joe Squasiniska, Corporal Joe Squasiniska woke me up, says, jake, you're on KP this morning. Joe, I've been sick all night. Give me that B.S. he says, you get your fatigues on, get up to the mess hall. So I went up to the mess hall. Max Bunti, mess sergeant, says, jake, aren't you feeling well? No. I told him the story about me drinking the milkshake and he says, is that all you drank? Is that all you drank? I said, honest to God, I says, that's all I drank. He says, you go back to that last table, we don't use that one there. And you lay down on the bench of the table and when Sick Cole comes around, you go to sick call. Sick call was just across the street from the mess hall. So I got over there at 8 o'clock. I sat there and waited until 10 o'clock before a doctor got to me. There was quite a few guys didn't take those maneuvers too good, you know, and so they had repercussions from that. So I laid up on this table at 10:00 and he was pressing around on my stomach here. And he was pushing down on my stomach and he says, how does that feel? I said, ah, that feels good. And then when he did like that, I just about flew off the table. Wow. He says, appendicitis. I'll call an ambulance. Hospital was five blocks away. I waited till 12 o'clock before the ambulance picked me up. Before I got into the hospital, my. My appendix broke so that I had to stay in. They had to put more operations on me.

[Brandon Herrera]

And how old, Sorry to interrupt, but how old were you roughly when this happened?

[Jake Larson]

I had just turned 18.

[Cody]

Wow.

[Jake Larson]

Just turned 18.

[Cody]

So it wasn't the chocolate milk or the chocolate milkshake.

[Brandon Herrera]

You can't prove that.

[Donut Operator]

Do you take a shower and still smell bad?

[Brandon Herrera]

Do you suffer from thigh folds? Do you know how to play Magic the Gathering? If so, do we have the product for you.

[Donut Operator]

Today's sponsor, Mando. Do you know what makes Mando different from any other deodorant?

[Brandon Herrera]

It's whole body deodorant that is safe to use anywhere on your body. You can even use it in your butt crack. And trust me, I do. And you probably should. I've been to a Magic the Gathering tournament. You should. Mando comes in solid stick and spray deodorant that is aluminum free, clinically proven.

[Donut Operator]

To block odor all day and it.

[Brandon Herrera]

Controls odor for up to 72 hours. That's three days you can go without having to take a shower. Choose from a variety of fresh scents like bourbon, leather, AKA my father's hand.

[Donut Operator]

Wanna try America's number one whole body deodorant right now?

[Brandon Herrera]

You can find them in Walmart, Target and if you don't wanna leave the comfort of your own home, which I imagine a lot of you target audience don't. For the best deals you can go to shopmando.com Mando starter pack is perfect for new customers. It comes with a solid stick deodorant Cream tube deodorant. Two free products of your choice such.

[Donut Operator]

As mini body wash and deodorant wipes and free shipping.

[Brandon Herrera]

New customers get $5 off the starter pack with our exclusive code unsub that equates to over 40% off your starter pack using special code [e-mail] Boost your.

[Donut Operator]

Confidence from head to toe with Mando.

[Jake Larson]

Here's where the typing came in. I went home on sick leave. My mother changed the bandages on my operation. There's no one heals better than a mother. Nurses don't even compare to mothers. They have that feeling. So I went back to Camp Claiborne after my sick leave, and I found out I had been transferred to headquarters. Headquarters Company, 135th Infantry Regiment. Somebody was going through my records and saw that I could type, so they needed a company clerk over there. So I was transferred over there as a company clerk, and I was given a corporal rating. For two months, I was doing that all by myself. And the headquarters company always gets additional stuff from other companies, and they're on my payroll, see? So, man, when you type in payroll and you have five carbons in there, you pound that typewriter. And you don't want to make a mistake because it takes half the time. It's correcting everything. So I learned to type without mistakes.

[Donut Operator]

We could not do that. I would be so bad without autocorrect.

[Brandon Herrera]

I'd be spending a lot of time correcting mistakes.

[Donut Operator]

Red lines everywhere.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, yeah. That cuts down your efficiency quite a bit. Well, the captain said, I want you to go to supplies and pick up a TO for our company. What's a to, sir? Tables of organization. He said, all right. I goes down and gets it, and of course, I have to read it. And I'm astonished. As a company clerk, I should be a sergeant with a corporal helper. I'm a corporal with no helper.

[Donut Operator]

That's the military.

[Jake Larson]

I brought this up to Captain Erickson. You read the law, and he says, I gave that sergeant rating to a friend of mine. He says, I can't just take that away from him. And he says, I'll get you a helper. So he got me a corporal helper that could not type.

[Brandon Herrera]

Wow.

[Jake Larson]

He made points with Corporal Larson. Japanese hit Pearl Harbor. Our commanding colonel for the 135th Infantry Regiment came out. He's right up there with the company clerks. His office is right up there. He comes out and he calls us to attention and he says, you go back and tell your commanding officer that I am authorizing 15 day furloughs to Minnesota for all those who haven't had a furlough in the past year.

[Donut Operator]

And a furlough is a military like a break, like a vape. Like you're two weeks off.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, well, he says 15 days he was authorizing.

[Donut Operator]

Okay.

[Jake Larson]

We're 1,000 miles from Minnesota, middle of winter, you know.

[Brandon Herrera]

So five of those days are spent traveling both ways.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, yeah. And just before freeways, you drove from town to town.

[Brandon Herrera]

Yeah.

[Jake Larson]

Oh, wow.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah.

[Jake Larson]

It'd take you three, four days to get up there, and then you'd have to come back. So I brought that up to Captain Erickson, he says, sergeant, Corporal, you do as you're told. I'm the commanding officer here. I says, yes, sir. So I went up, checked the records and there were 54 guys that hadn't had a furlough in the past year. And Corporal Jake Larson was one of them. I had sick leave, but. So everyone has to have a private individual copy of his. You don't make them all together and the captain has to sign every one individually. So I found 54 guys like that and I made them out for them. Something happened to my typewriter or something and it kind of made a mistake on mine. It put me down for 15 days and the captain signed it.

[Donut Operator]

Did you sneak it in there?

[Jake Larson]

When I got back from my 15 day furlough, he ripped off my corporal stripes and says, you're a private from now on you'll be climbing poles and stringing wire. I said, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. He says, I should court martial you. I says, I'd like to know the reason you could court martial me, sir. You signed the papers that I made up. I said, so he didn't have an answer, See, he didn't have an answer.

[Donut Operator]

In the book you said we were.

[Jake Larson]

Then the 34th Division went to New Jersey, waiting for transport overseas, waiting for a ship to come in. So my two cousins and I traveled around New York in the wintertime, had our heavy overcoats on and everything. Went to Statue of Liberty up to the world's highest building and Radio City All Girl Orchestra. And we had a ball and we're coming down the street there and a pigeon came down and shit on my shoulder. I'm born and raised on a farm, which pigeons, and they don't chit on you. But the French luxury liner Normandy was in the harbor in New York and laying at a 45 degree angle burning. I didn't know that that was the fastest ship in the world at that time. I think it was 32 knots that would make. But I saw that burn. Then went overseas on Aquitania and we got into submarines. I volunteer for working in the galley. That's the kitchen. Those guys fed me steaks. I always had great food. Those English cooks, they loved to mess with fish. Everybody had fish, lots of fish or mutton. But I did, I had my choice. See, little things like just volunteers or something like that changes your life. So you're working in that galley, you start sweating. So I went to take a shower and I got my soap and I could not make a suds of anything, man. So what is the problem here? They've got a soap that works with salt water. And I didn't know that regular soap does not work with salt water.

[Brandon Herrera]

I didn't know that either.

[Donut Operator]

Did not know that.

[Jake Larson]

So they got some salt water soap and then I could take a shower. But we had submarines that came into the convoy. I think there was 50 ships in the convoy. I don't know where we stood in there because you look ahead, there's a ship. I think there were seven submarines got in there. And one of them, the destroyer was chasing it right down alongside of us. And when the destroyer came alongside of us and dropped that depth charge, it moved our ship over about a foot each time, just swaying. We made it to North Ireland. They couldn't get into the harbor because there were so many ships being repaired that we landed in Glasgow, Scotland, and we took little ships or whatever they were. But I slept in a broom closet there on the way over. And when I woke up, they were passing out sandwiches and some of the guys were standing over to the rail. Feeding your sandwiches to the gulls. That's a no, no.

[Brandon Herrera]

Yeah. They tend to shit on your shoulder.

[Jake Larson]

Yes. They come sweeping in and pick up that piece of bread and leave out a stream like that right across your chest. And that is not pleasant smelling.

[Donut Operator]

Papa Jake, you're amazing. When you got. So that was Ireland. What? Our co host or a co owner, Ms. Show. She does a lot. She does producing and everything. She's actually from Ireland. She moved here three years ago. The blonde lady in the back, she's from Ireland. She has her accent and everything. And how long were you in Ireland for?

[Jake Larson]

Well, I got there and I came in with headquarters company and the first thing I knew, there were three of us. A Staff Sergeant Robert Jeffrey, a Corporal William R. Cray, and a Private Jake.

[Brandon Herrera]

Larson, a former corporal.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, well, you don't say that you are what you are. You don't. You don't look back. So we were assigned. I don't know where that assignment came from, but we were to transfer all Americans that joined the Canadian and the British forces before we got into the war and transfer them in at whatever rating they were in that Canadian or British forces. About 30 days. We did that. I did all of insurance, GI insurance. I sold GI insurance to the people and that was my job. And after 30 days that dried up and we went back to our company. And I'm thinking I'm going to be climbing poles now and stringing wire. The next thing I knew, here came an Order down from fifth core. Fifth core, fifth Corps. You guys know what a core is?

[Donut Operator]

Go on, explain it to us. I actually don't know. Like, we have kind of a general idea with like battalions and stuff, but we don't have corps.

[Jake Larson]

I think I'm from the infantry. There are two corps in a division or in an army. Two corps. Each corps has two divisions under it.

[Donut Operator]

Okay.

[Jake Larson]

It came out that I'm in 5th Corps in G3. That's the plans and training. I became an operations sergeant, promoted again. I got in on the planning of the invasion. I got the bronze Star for that. I was in charge of Omaha, the whole Omaha thing, every day from 7:30 at night till 7:30 in the morning. I was a staff sergeant in the daytime. The two officers that ran G3 was a full bird colonel who later became a general and a lieutenant colonel.

[Donut Operator]

That's wild.

[Jake Larson]

You see, how did that happen? I'm probably the only infantryman that ever made it into corps headquarters. And I got. See, I tell you, I'm. I'm lucky.

[Donut Operator]

That's wild because. And as Brandon was asking, it's like, how did that happen? It just. Because everything led to you getting into fifth core and then the.

[Brandon Herrera]

Is that just how the chips fell? Like, how did, how did you end up being the person in that position other than, of course, being lucky?

[Jake Larson]

Because Colonel Hill wouldn't do anything without me. I was his right hand man. When I did something, he knew it was right and fast. I always recommend people that are in the service, whatever somebody tells you to do, do it, do it and do it fast. Do it so that no one else can come and take your place. That's the key to getting ahead.

[Brandon Herrera]

I feel like that's true for pretty much any job.

[Donut Operator]

Wise words. Very wise words.

[Brandon Herrera]

Very.

[Jake Larson]

So we were right in a baloney with Eisenhower and his generals.

[Brandon Herrera]

You were in a what now?

[Jake Larson]

A boney.

[Brandon Herrera]

I'm not familiar with the term.

[Jake Larson]

A bologna is like a horseshoe, but it's a quonset horseshoe. All different units inside that. And Eisenhower was in one of those things and I was in the same one. Every person that landed on Omaha beach on D day came through these fingers. I'm the only one who can say that. And I ran Omaha beach every night from 7:30 at night till 7:30 in the morning. I had a corporal helper, Madison Rich.

[Brandon Herrera]

Did your corporal helper know how to type this time?

[Jake Larson]

Oh, he was an excellent type of. Good, good.

[Brandon Herrera]

You got an upgrade.

[Jake Larson]

He could take dictation. He had that. What do you Call it. He could. As you talked, he could write it out shorthand.

[Donut Operator]

Oh, scribes. Yeah, yeah. Shorthand.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah. See, I could not take shorthand.

[Donut Operator]

Same. I'm bad at everything.

[Jake Larson]

No Dixon questions with what was D.

[Donut Operator]

Day like for you? Because you were leading up to that, and then you were part of D Day, as you were saying. Like you reached and it was just running.

[Jake Larson]

One month before D Day, there was a little thing called the colonel said, I want you to go to.

[Donut Operator]

Slapped In.

[Jake Larson]

I can't remember the name of it. Slapped In Sands.

[Donut Operator]

Slapping Sands.

[Jake Larson]

I know we're going to get there, but the town in England where we loaded on these Portsmouth landing ship tanks.

[Donut Operator]

Portsmouth. Portsmouth.

[Jake Larson]

Portsmouth.

[Donut Operator]

Portsmouth.

[Jake Larson]

No, that's where I came from. That's where I was in those baloneys. Okay, good thinking. Good thinking. Thank you. Plymouth. Plymouth. That's where we loaded on the LSTs, men. 400 men in each one of these LSTs. And the British had a little operation going there. It slapped in sands. So he wanted me because I'm from the infantry there, See, every time you turn around, because you're from the infantry and you've been through this, you get to go. So I'm the first one. They have another one half a mile to my right and another one a half a mile further on. And we're in the front three. And we're coming into Slapping Sands and the British are ready to open up fire. And behind us, there's a total of 11 of these landing craft, landing ships, they're following behind us. And just when the British were ready to open fire over our heads, two Germans, German E boats came out, torpedoed those two ships to my right and sunk them. And they opened fire on the guard on top of us. They knock out our air. So there was 400 of us laying on the floor vomiting from diesel gas. I don't know how we made it back to Plymouth, but we got back to Plymouth and a full bird colonel came out and swore us to secrecy that all this didn't happen. And we were threatened with court martial if we ever talked to anyone about it, even our commanding officers. So I assume there was that for 45 years.

[Brandon Herrera]

I assume there was a statute of limitations to that. Can talk about where you can talk about it now?

[Jake Larson]

I. I don't care anyway. What can they do? That's my boy.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah. Dude, the Internet would be so mad. The Internet would rally behind you.

[Brandon Herrera]

That's. That's insane, though.

[Jake Larson]

I've been called a liar so many times. You can't make this up. You cannot even imagine it. There's no way you could even think of that stuff in between times. I had to go down to land's end and shoot.50 caliber machine gun, water cooled machine guns at towed targets because I came from the infantry, see. Never used it afterwards. But, but I've got all that memory in me. You, you can't get rid of that.

[Donut Operator]

No, the experience.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah.

[Cody]

Papa Jake, I just want to ask Brandon real quick. What type of machine guns do you think they were shooting?

[Brandon Herrera]

So if you're talking about a, a water cooled.50 caliber would be. That would be. Yeah, like the M2 Browning but with the water cool shroud on it.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's an OG one.

[Brandon Herrera]

They weren't very popular later on because, you know, you really don't need them anymore. But in the early prototypes and especially like a lot of the early issued guns were, were water cooled, all machine.

[Donut Operator]

Guns almost at that time. Right. Or a majority or.

[Brandon Herrera]

Well, they started with the, the Maxim and I mean with the Maxim was made in 1883. But they, they followed through to the Vickers.

[Jake Larson]

The Maxim was a different machine gun than the other.

[Brandon Herrera]

Because you would have been talking about the M2 Browning, right? Yes, the M2 Browning. The good old, the Ma Deuce.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah.

[Brandon Herrera]

But yeah, a lot of people don't know. It started as a water cooled.50 cal.

[Donut Operator]

I didn't even know.

[Jake Larson]

And then it became. Oh, oh, I, I carried a bar in when I was nice in the infantry.

[Donut Operator]

You didn't like. It was too heavy.

[Jake Larson]

It's another bowling car.

[Brandon Herrera]

See a. Yeah, W. That's some big Jake energy.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, that was heavy. Heavy though, right?

[Jake Larson]

Yeah. Sixteen pounds, that sucker. I came out of the infantry, I think like this here. That was held down.

[Donut Operator]

So when you, I gotta ask real.

[Brandon Herrera]

Quick, did you like the bar? Did you, did you enjoy. Was it a chore for you to be the bar operator or did you enjoy it?

[Jake Larson]

I loved it. I loved it.

[Cody]

Jake, did you ever carry a Thompson when you were over a Tommy gun?

[Jake Larson]

Do you ever carry one? No, I never, never had one in my hands.

[Brandon Herrera]

What was your favorite part about the bar?

[Jake Larson]

The bar, man, whatever you shot at, it just seemed to explode because you'd get a burst of about three in there right there. It just routed everybody at that time. Yeah, they were a danger. See, The grand is eight shots. The British Enfield is 10 shots. I think the British outshot us.

[Brandon Herrera]

You think even though that theirs was bolt action?

[Jake Larson]

Yep.

[Brandon Herrera]

Really?

[Jake Larson]

Yeah.

[Brandon Herrera]

But the bar held 20. Makes that problem go away. Very quickly.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, yeah. When you give a short burst like that, three man, then there's 17 left, see? Pretty soon there's 15 left. Just a shot.

[Donut Operator]

Good gun.

[Jake Larson]

Good gun. Yeah. And they were. That was a heavy load. You carrying all that ammunition besides the.

[Cody]

Gun, how many magazines did you carry for the bar?

[Jake Larson]

I don't really remember. I really don't. I had all those things on my mind.

[Donut Operator]

That makes sense.

[Brandon Herrera]

Fair enough.

[Donut Operator]

So what was D Day itself like on that when you got the word? Because reading your book, you said the times changed, weather changed, so you would have these missions. Or you were like, hey, D Day is happening at this time. But then it keeps getting delayed and pushed back and your adrenaline trying to sleep during this 72 hours. How long did that take before from time of mission supposed to happen to when actually D Day happened?

[Jake Larson]

Well, I'll start from scratch. Okay, here's something too. I'm going to tell you. The next thing I'm going to tell you is. Never heard that before in my life that you can do that. How do you think Eisenhower got over there to D Day? I was on the same ship as Eisenhower.

[Donut Operator]

No doubt.

[Jake Larson]

That's wild. I came over on the command ship. Can you believe that?

[Brandon Herrera]

I have to ask, what was Eisenhower like?

[Jake Larson]

I never got to talk to him. But later in the war and the Battle of the Bulge, I'm going to jump up there for one reason. The Germans cut us off. I was in on the start of the Battle of the Bulge. They cut us off. I was at Lupinj, Belgium. Then there was the massacre at Malmedy. That's why the Germans had captured these 100 and something Americans that were observers, artillery observers or something and had them in the ditch. It was snowing and when those tanks went by, this Lt. Col. Pfeiffer ordered his tanks to use the machine guns on the guys as they rolled on by them. That was a massacre of melody. I have seen quite a bit and I observed quite a bit. And I tell you, you never find somebody that has been through me, what I've gone through. I'm kind of proud of it now, but it always seemed like I was in on everything.

[Donut Operator]

And then you guys beached on D Day.

[Jake Larson]

I got off the ship, I was the first one into the landing craft. So I sat by the pilot. That's the way they come down these rope ladders carrying £74, plucked down alongside this boy. I don't think he was 17 years old yet. He was in the Navy. He was the Navy pilot and he Was supposed to take us in. So we'd stand about waist deep. He got a little scared. He let us off early. We were right up to our neck and holding your rifle up above, and then you start going across an ocean that is loaded with landmines. We were told we'd be crossing about 1 million land mines that Hitler had planted there. Come to find out when they cleaned those up, there was a million and a half. We received a lot of small arms fires from the shore. It didn't bother me one bit. I was afraid of stepping on a landmine. I went through six battles. I never got a scratch so I could get a purple heart. That's extra time off.

[Brandon Herrera]

Our Eli Cuevas, the extra time off recipient.

[Donut Operator]

And I didn't get extra time off because I went to the wrong aid. When I, when I got shot, I went to the wrong aid station. So I was at work. The next day I had a mission. The next day I got shot in the leg.

[Jake Larson]

Oh, see what I mean?

[Donut Operator]

Army strong. Like when you. So that's one thing in your book. You said you followed other people. You would follow the footprints up the shore.

[Jake Larson]

Oh, did I ever, man. Man, I said, that's smart. That's very smart. I'm in line from just one of those landing craft, infantry. There are 30 of us on there. Think how many of those guys are going in in lines. You look over there, they're in line. There's a squirt of water, shoots up in the air. Somebody stepped on a landmine.

[Brandon Herrera]

Is that something you thought about before you landed? You thought, I'm gonna go up behind.

[Jake Larson]

The guy who's already gone through the. We had a route. I was on Easy Red. I got off of the there and went over to Easy Red route. That's the killing us whole line. And I'm go through there and I come out without a scratch. More people were killed on Easy Red than any other landing. How come I didn't get killed? How come I didn't even get a scratch? I got down closer to shore and I had two MG42 machine guns from opposite sides of the cliffs. And circles were trying to kill me. So I got gun behind that 6, 8 inch stone burl that protected me. They bounced those bullets off of that thing. So I dug about a cigarette, put in my mouth, reached for my matches. They were wet.

[Brandon Herrera]

Figures.

[Jake Larson]

So I sensed a soldier to my left behind and I hollered, hey buddy, have you got a match? I got no answer. So I looked back there. There was no head under the helmet and God, at that exact moment. It's like the soul of that soldier was saying, get up and get out of there right now. And I did. You may think this is strange, but those two machine guns shot off at just that time. I don't know whether to refuel, put in more bullets or change barrels or something. I got up and ran. And then they started again. I was 5 foot 7. I weighed 120 pounds. And I thought, these soldiers aren't used to shooting at toothpicks. I really thought that. I got through to the cliff. I don't remember. My job was to set up the command post. I don't remember even touching it, but I must have done it. And Madison Rich, next thing I knew, it was 7:15. Madison Rich and I were digging our foxholes to go to sleep that night. I had found a litter that hadn't been used. So I put that in the bottom of my foxhole so that I wouldn't be sleeping on that wet sand. Somebody said, sergeant Larson, Colonel Hill wants to see you right now. So I go to Colonel Hill. He says, sergeant, he says, I just got word from First Army. They want me to keep G3 open 24 hours a day. You are going to run the night shift. I said, starting when sir? He said, starting right now. We were supposed to land on the fifth. The storm came in, so we loaded on the fourth. Do you think anybody sleeps?

[Donut Operator]

They don't.

[Jake Larson]

Everybody was running out of adrenaline.

[Donut Operator]

You do.

[Jake Larson]

This was the night of the 6th and I'm on duty again.

[Donut Operator]

Not that lucky. Sometimes you have a lot of luck and then really bad luck.

[Jake Larson]

At midnight, Germans sent over a reconnaissance plane. They wanted to know what we're doing on the beach. So they dropped all these small handkerchief sized parachutes loaded with magnesium so they could light up the beach and take pictures or anti aircraft frowns on that. So they start shooting up. Pretty soon everything quiet down and I wake up again and I'm being relieved at 7:30 in the morning. I goes back, oh, I had told Madison Rich, you could sleep in my foxhole because I got that litter in there. See, he laid his grand rifle on that litter. So when I went back there that time he was just getting dressed and he picked up his rifle and it fell in two. The rifle fell in two. A piece of shrapnel had come down and hit that rifle and broke it right in two. That's a heavy instrument.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, you got lucky. You didn't sleep. You got lucky for gardener.

[Jake Larson]

Holy.

[Brandon Herrera]

So you were just saying he Wasn't lucky.

[Donut Operator]

I know. And now I'm like, dang, never mind. I'm a liar.

[Cody]

That shrapnel could have broke you into.

[Jake Larson]

This is all in the book. I'm not telling you anything that isn't in the book.

[Brandon Herrera]

Real quick, while we're in the middle of this, like, so we don't wait until the end. Where can people find this book? Is it on Amazon? Where's it at?

[Jake Larson]

It's on Amazon.

[Brandon Herrera]

Okay. So you can go read this book for yourself right now. But it's honestly, it's genuinely a very serious pleasure to be able to hear these stories firsthand because, you know, anybody can read a book. But I feel like I speak for all of us. We feel very privileged to be able to hear it from you.

[Donut Operator]

This book.

[Jake Larson]

Look at this young. This book. And I'm not a writer. I'm not a writer, but I just told you the story of my life, and that's the way I wrote it here. No big language. I don't know big words.

[Donut Operator]

I mean, you had us on. Well, it's like Furlong. It was interesting to listen, like, even reading this, like, Furlong. We call it leave. Furlong. Now we call leave. So, like, reading these, I was like, like, oh, man, how terminology. Terminology has changed and all that. And then also a lot of stuff I like when you were sick and they were. Do the military gave you to clean your sinuses out, what'd they give you those two for the sinus infection you had?

[Jake Larson]

Oh, yeah. They finally gave me penicillin. I was the first one of the first people to use penicillin in the world. And it loves me.

[Donut Operator]

Well, they said you had two big sticks with, like a brown goo, and they put them in your noses.

[Jake Larson]

You could shove that stick just like that right straight back there. I think you could reach over here.

[Brandon Herrera]

And pull it through, tickling your memories of second grade.

[Donut Operator]

And that's how they got. That was for your sinus was just.

[Jake Larson]

Putting big sticks in. Oh, I had bad sinus. I had ear infection because of that. Bad sinuses.

[Donut Operator]

And how did they get. For eardrums?

[Jake Larson]

What would they do with my ear?

[Donut Operator]

Oh, for the eardrums. Like, what, for pilots and stuff? They would just rupture your eardrum to fix it.

[Jake Larson]

They couldn't do anything on the outside because the infection is on the inside. Inside, See? So that. That's why they shoved those. That brown stuff in there.

[Cody]

The brown stuff was the penicillin?

[Donut Operator]

No, they.

[Jake Larson]

No, no, it was some. Something else.

[Donut Operator]

They put two brown Sticks in his. No, like here in his sinuses.

[Cody]

Straight up to your sinuses.

[Jake Larson]

Those sticks are that long too.

[Donut Operator]

And then for ear drops, the COVID test was bad. I know. They're just like. And then for eardrums, apparently it would just rupture the eardrum or poke it.

[Jake Larson]

I'd hate to be in the. God, think of it. Think of rupturing your eardrum. Pliers. That would not compensate when they got up high. Had to have their eardrums punctured by a doctor. Man. I stay away from my ears.

[Donut Operator]

But you're still like the brown. Just goop in your nose.

[Jake Larson]

You're like, oh no.

[Donut Operator]

So you. You did Normandy or.

[Jake Larson]

And you.

[Donut Operator]

No never got shot. No Purple Heart. You made it all the way through. And then after Normandy it was Battle of the Bulge. Yeah, you were talking about that a little bit. But as you said, your unit was cut off as part of the unit's cut off.

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, I was in that unit. We were cut off from first army and we joined Field Marshal Montgomery's army group. Field Marshal Montgomery, I saw him. He'd come up and get a load of cigarettes. He didn't smoke himself, but he'd pass them out to his buddies.

[Donut Operator]

Good leader. Good leader right there.

[Jake Larson]

Yes. How many people you know that you served under Field Marshal Montgomery? I did serve under Field Marshal Montgomery.

[Donut Operator]

You're even of individuals at Battle of the Bulge. You are now the only one. Or Normandy. That's why we were so excited. We've had. We had Don at Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima. And then that's reaching out to your family. It was like a no brainer for all of us. We're like a hundred percent.

[Brandon Herrera]

We canceled plans.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah. Everything got moved around for this. Like. No, no, but you were at the Battle of the Bulge and that like even the temperature, like, how cold was that? What were you wearing? What was that experience like at the.

[Jake Larson]

Battle of the Bulge?

[Donut Operator]

Yes, sir.

[Jake Larson]

Well, I'm going to start from scratch again.

[Donut Operator]

Get it perfect.

[Jake Larson]

Battle of the bulge starts on December 15th. Marlene Dietrich was going to perform for the troops. I had to go to work at 7:30 at night. So I went to work 7:30 at night in G3, keeping G3 open. And Marlene Dietrich entertained the troops. She was about 50. We all lived. We just loved her. She could put on a show. She had that voice with that European accent. God, we just love listening to her. And she loved the troops. I never did get to see her because that's the night this corporal MP drove up at midnight. And he came out of his jeep and came walking toward me. And while he was walking toward me, he was saluting me and saying, sergeant, I'm from post number six. I was walking my post and I looked up and there were German parachutists looking down at me. I said, what'd you do? He says, I jumped in my jeep and came up here right now. I said, good thinking, good thinking. So I went and woke up Colonel Hill. I told him what the corporal had said. He says, sergeant, go wake up General Giroux. So I woke up General Row told him. And people say to me. What did the general say to you, Jake? I said, I think he said, thank you, Sergeant. He says, what do you mean, thank you? After you tell him that. I said, well, I don't think he's there to converse with a staff sergeant. But the colonel wanted to see him. And that was the thing to love, the message I was given. So we did alert all our units, and we saved quite a few lives. And that is one of the happy spots of my life there.

[Donut Operator]

Was it cold? Like, how cold was it during that time? Because you guys like army jackets.

[Jake Larson]

It was winter time. Yeah. Snowing, winter.

[Donut Operator]

And then you're in military gear. Army gear. Not the warmest now, military grade. Yes. And then how long were you, like. So how long was that part of your.

[Jake Larson]

Well, to December 30th. That was. Battle of the Bulls was working down. We had them on the run at that time. They were marching off the field. They ran a little petrol or gasoline, and they dropped their rifles and walked off. Now, there's a strange thing. There's 10,000 missing Americans that they never accounted for. They don't know what happened to those 10,000. They think they were captured by dead people, Germans, and executed it. But we kicked Hitler's ass right out of Europe. We did that.

[Cody]

Hell, yeah.

[Jake Larson]

Well, if you think I'm not lucky. After the Battle of Saint Lome, that was our first battle, you wake up two, you're sleeping in a ditch, and there's the road right up here. There's hardly room enough to sleep in between. So I'm plugged into a side wall there of dirt, and I come out of there sleeping. From sleeping to brush my teeth.

[Donut Operator]

And.

[Jake Larson]

There'S soldiers carrying something on the road. I'm not paying attention to them. Pretty soon, somebody said, what the hell are you doing down there? I'm brushing my teeth. I'm going to shave here. Pretty soon, he says, get the hell out of here. He says, we're sandbagging 155 millimeter shell that did not explode coming over you. It's landed on the road and they're sand bagging it so they can explode it. You can't make that town lock up.

[Donut Operator]

Not at all.

[Jake Larson]

Saying about the next day we're going to move the command post again. The colonel asked me as a favorite if he ordered a jeep, if I'd go up there and check it out. Anything for you? Yes. So he gives me a little hand drawn map. So got this driver and we come to a place that had trees among 4 foot, 5 foot high, just willow with trees. And we drive by there. I said, hey, I think there's a culvert there. I think that's the place where we got to stop. So while he's turning around in the road, the jeep behind us turns in over that covert and blows up. It's a landmine.

[Brandon Herrera]

Oh man.

[Jake Larson]

You can't make this stuff up.

[Donut Operator]

How was it like with, with those type of memories for yourself as like a World War II veteran? What was getting back to the civilian life. You, you got out, you did the broken eagle thing. But like as you're older and at this part of your life, how do you reflect on this? Like the sadness and then the, the luck, as you're saying. But how hard was it transitioning to the civilian life when you got back out? Because you've seen a lot. You've seen everything a lot of people would never dream of or even like in the worst nightmares you got to experience, like war.

[Jake Larson]

War.

[Donut Operator]

Was it a hard transition when you got back?

[Jake Larson]

I'll tell you the only explanation I have. Is there somebody up there that liked me? I can't think of anything else. And even today you think of it, I'm 102 years old. I don't have an acre of pain in my body. How many of you can say that?

[Donut Operator]

I groaned when I tied my shoes this morning. You're. You're killing it, brother.

[Cody]

Main character.

[Jake Larson]

Main character. You can't make this stuff up. You can't make it up. But whatever I've done in life seems to work out for me, man. I shouldn't be able to remember all this stuff that I've been telling you. This is unusual.

[Donut Operator]

You are sharp. That is. Yeah, it is. How sharp? And then you're retaining. It's. You're just. It's sharp. And I think I want to. Brandon had a really good question that was like, as a World War II veteran, what is one of. With the new movies that have came out or any World War II movie like Saving Private Ryan.

[Jake Larson]

Every one of those movies were re looked at and done. They didn't make that stuff up. It's all taken from what happened. And you can see just little old me. The things that happen just to me. Anything is possible.

[Donut Operator]

What's your favorite one?

[Brandon Herrera]

Yeah. Is there one that that stands out to you as something that you were like that is exactly like how it was? Is there something that you watched and you're like that was it.

[Jake Larson]

I've never run across anything that came close to what I did. It's. You could take a whole army, you could go down and get everybody's result of a battle that they won. You'd get a different answer from every person.

[Donut Operator]

I can see that now on the last part. I wanted to waste for last your wife Lola. You had a beautiful story of a photo you took because you're actually a camera guy, right? You like cameras.

[Jake Larson]

She found you turns as a back cover of the book.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, tell that story because I love that.

[Brandon Herrera]

Look at that guy.

[Donut Operator]

That story was great.

[Cody]

How old were you there?

[Jake Larson]

I'm 19.

[Cody]

19.

[Brandon Herrera]

That's a good looking man right there.

[Donut Operator]

That's what his wife thought apparently.

[Brandon Herrera]

And judging by wife, I think it worked out.

[Jake Larson]

That picture was taken in North Ireland. When I was up there in north island and got assigned to G3. I met the medical doctor, he kind of liked me and I had an Argus C2 35 millimeter camera that I was messing with and taking pictures with. He says, if you ever go on a furl, he says I've got an 8 millimeter movie camera, hand crank and take it along, take some pictures for me. So I had a farewell to Edinburgh, Scotland. So I went to that, gave him back his camera. A month later he pulls up to me on a Sunday. I'm around taking pictures of some swans that I wanted to send to my folks in hopes in Minnesota and measure. Ridgeway pulls up there and comes to our screech and he says, jake, I got a bone to pick with you. What in the hell? I'm a sergeant here and he's a major. He's got a bone to pick with me. What in the world did I do now?

[Cody]

Who did you piss off, Jay?

[Jake Larson]

My wife wants to know who those girls are I took pictures with and somebody. What are you talking about? He says, when you went to Edinburgh, you borrowed my camera. Movie camera. I sent that to my wife. I said, you since the raw film, man.

[Donut Operator]

You can't explain that, bro. You Got me in trouble.

[Jake Larson]

What were you filming, Jay? So anyway, he was out of his Jeep. So I sat in his Jeep and handed him my Argosy to. And he took that picture that's in the back of the book there of me. I developed it myself and I said, my God, that's a good picture. So I sent that to my mother and dad in Minnesota. My dad took it into the photo news in Oatana and they put a little blurb in there about me being overseas and stuff.

[Donut Operator]

That exact one?

[Brandon Herrera]

Yep.

[Jake Larson]

A girl going to high school, she was in 10th grade, she cut that out and put it in her wallet. And her girlfriend said to her, who is that guy you got in there? She says, that's the guy I'm going to marry. Prescient by God, the end of the war. On December 30, I got a 45 day furlough to go back home. I'm over there for three years already. I was at the top of the list. I had more points than anybody else because you go for what service you did. And I joined in 1938. There was nobody could pass me there.

[Donut Operator]

And by 22 years old you'd already done seven years of service.

[Jake Larson]

It's, it's crazy. It's crazy. So, so I, I goes home. It takes me 51 days to get home. Then I got 45 days. Man, I never thought I'd see my mother alive. She had leakage in the heart and at that time nobody would touch a heart. They wouldn't open up his heart. And look, she was just dying from the heart. Kept growing to try to take care of the blood situation. It just compressed her lungs so she died from pneumonia. But she lived to see my two oldest children. Carlin missed out on that. Carlin is my baby. And Carlin has brought his baby, my granddaughter Kayla.

[Donut Operator]

Oh, they're gonna cut to it. We got them on camera right now.

[Jake Larson]

I am so blessed to have them in my family. They're my right hand.

[Cody]

We're very blessed to have you here. We're very blessed that they brought you here.

[Jake Larson]

I was going to hope to pick up the mail on Sunday. I had the family truck cab over, engine poured and went by the garage. I saw this friend of mine, car sitting there with the hood up. Harley's got problems with the car and he's one of those guys that, that's an old wrench from a plier or something talking shit. We were brought up mechanics of fixing cars. I could overhaul any car and that's the way you had to get by. You didn't have the money to at that time. You could get a rebuilt block from a Ford V8. Whatever year it was, they rebuilt it. For how much money would you say? New customer bearings?

[Donut Operator]

45. This is 1945. 1946. What year, sir?

[Jake Larson]

Yeah, no, these were 30s. Oh, 1930s, 40s. Yeah, yeah.

[Brandon Herrera]

$30.

[Cody]

$30? Yeah, I was gonna say $30.

[Donut Operator]

$20.

[Jake Larson]

No, $40. You could. You could get a. You could buy a new head for $20.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, get a whole rebuild.

[Brandon Herrera]

I think my raptor motor was 12 grand.

[Jake Larson]

I mean, yeah, times are different.

[Brandon Herrera]

It's a different time.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jake Larson]

But anyway, I picked up some mail and then when I drove back there, he came carrying the fan belt. Well, I knew very well then the fan belt broke. So I grabbed a crescent wrench, a 12 inch crescent tire iron generator sits right up on top of the engine. The fan belt goes around that there, around the two water pumps, and then to the crankshaft. It's about a 30 second operation. Loosen that one nut, drop the generator down, slip the fan belt on there and take the tire in, tighten up that generator up there. It's over. So I start back to the truck to throw my tools in there, and Harley Hawk calls. Hey, Jake. He says, you want to meet my sister? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm looking. There's nobody in the car. So I'm thinking they had moved in two farms away from my dad's place. So maybe he's going home and pick up his sister and bring over to my place. So I finished going to the thing. I started opening the truck door and he said, well, come on. Then he opens the passenger door. I goes over there and there his sister is, down under the hood or under the dashboard. Dashboard. And she has a white dish towel. She had just washed her hair wrapped around her head. No, my makeup on. She was red as a beech. But by God, I got a date for next Sunday. I took her to Bloom and Prairie Rodeo. She wouldn't even let me hold her hand there for a while. Well, we got that settled.

[Cody]

This is your mother?

[Jake Larson]

Yes.

[Brandon Herrera]

He definitely got that settled.

[Jake Larson]

I asked her to marry me. We got a marriage license and we held it off for a while. I was going to Dunwoody Institute, taking up electricity and everything. I'm a journeyman lineman. I climb poles like a monkey. I worked the hot stuff. But anyway, come November 23rd, we got married. And November 23rd coming up will be our 80th anniversary. Eighty years ago, I'm remembering this stuff.

[Donut Operator]

She sounds like an amazing woman. And you have a beautiful, amazing family too, now from it. And that's in the book you told with that picture? She seen that picture. She cut it out. And then you seen it in her wallet, right?

[Jake Larson]

Yes. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. We were married for nearly three years there, and she was pregnant with our first boy. And I had a service station. Your hands are always dirty in a service station. So I goes home to get something to eat. So I goes in the bathroom, wash my hands. All the stuff is. She's got a new wallet and she took everything out of the old one. And there's that picture of me in the Jeep.

[Brandon Herrera]

You're like, who's this guy?

[Jake Larson]

Who is this? So I take that picture. Lola, where did you get this? Oh, well, I just was. When I was going to high school, that came out in the foreigners and I cut it out and put it in there.

[Cody]

So you'd been fangirling for years.

[Jake Larson]

My girlfriend asked me, who is that guy? And I told her, that's the guy I'm going to marry. I said, you never told me anything like that. I thought I was chasing you.

[Brandon Herrera]

I have to ask, so of the photo set that that was taken from, that photo of you, does your wife. She obviously. I'm sure she knows the story. Now, did she ever know about the rest of the photos you took in spring break of 1944 that got your buddy in trouble?

[Jake Larson]

Oh, yes. Well, she knew I wasn't pure.

[Brandon Herrera]

I had to know.

[Donut Operator]

I had to know the dairy. When you got your Bronze Star and Miss Dairy Queen.

[Jake Larson]

Oh, my God, yes.

[Brandon Herrera]

My God, yes.

[Jake Larson]

She didn't like. She. She didn't like that fact that the Dairy Queen came up and wanted a hug and a kiss from a soldier.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. And it was because you received the Bronze Star, they did an event for you. And then.

[Jake Larson]

You see, I really was ashamed of getting that Bronze Star. When I did, they had the families of three recipients of the Bronze Star posthumously. Here I'm getting nine pinned on me. That wakes you up. That wakes you up.

[Donut Operator]

But you, like, I will always say it's like you. It's as my buddies, like the friends I've lost and same for you or the individuals that received those rewards after they passed. It's still, I guarantee they were so proud of you for every. All your accomplishments, especially you being alive and being able to receive that well.

[Jake Larson]

I don't think I'm any different than anybody else.

[Donut Operator]

And that's why they like you even more. You're humble about. And that's like, the most important thought like, thing is how humble you are about that. But because you show remorse like a true soldier. You're a true soldier. You didn't want that reward as you just are award, as you said. I didn't deserve it. These guys did. And it wasn't a fun time for you, Right?

[Jake Larson]

But.

[Donut Operator]

But you still have that amazing story that came from it because you received a bronze star for the things you did, which, again, amazing, amazing, amazing things and not easy things. You were putting other people's lives with these, your decisions in your hands. It's a lot that can weigh on people. But then after you got your brawn star, then you had to receive a kiss from whom? The Dairy Queen. Ms. Dairy Queen afterwards. And it was gonna be on a photo, right?

[Brandon Herrera]

You say? Had to, like, it was a punishment for him.

[Jake Larson]

There's one or two other things I want to emphasize here. That's something that isn't in the book. It was after the book.

[Donut Operator]

What was that?

[Jake Larson]

I got on TikTok, and I was talking about going to North Ireland. My goodness. People over there received TikTok. We got pictures of where I was stationed.

[Donut Operator]

Oh, wow.

[Jake Larson]

My God. Yes. And my granddaughter started corresponding to one of these guys that controlled some of these places I was at. They got up a GoFundMe over there and brought us back to North Ireland 80. Exactly 80 years ago.

[Brandon Herrera]

That's awesome.

[Cody]

That's really cool.

[Jake Larson]

And they had the ambassadors from five France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the United States giving me accolades, sitting at this big table with a sign, jake Larson here. And I'm thinking, this is a farce in the first place. When we drove up to it, I said, we're interrupting something here, man. There's American soldiers out there marching, 48 star, flag flying up above, jeeps, driving around. So we sent my oldest grandson, Mike, said, mike, find out what's wrong. Because we were invited down here. Come to find out the whole thing was for me. How'd that happen? They gave me these accolades. Each ambassador, and then when it got down to the last one, the United States ambassador, he gave me the accolades. And then he added, this day, March 18th, will forever be called Jake Larson Day. I have a day named for me.

[Donut Operator]

How'd that feel?

[Jake Larson]

I told you, it's crazy. It really is crazy. And we met a young couple up there with a little boy, and they invited us down to their place and. And I met this girl's brothers, a couple of them, anyway. And one or two of his Sisters, his wife's sisters. And the youngest boy that I hadn't met, he got my book from his mother and read it and wrote a song about my book. And you can get that on YouTube by asking for the song. Jake Larson, the luckiest man in the world. It's a song about that book.

[Donut Operator]

I'm glad to put that. And you can get copyright stroke for it.

[Brandon Herrera]

I'll be honest, the two words I was not expecting to hear this Entire podcast was YouTube and Tik Tok.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, I know.

[Brandon Herrera]

I. I was kind of shell shocked by that, but. Oh, that's. That's. That's awesome, though. That's. That's. That's a genuinely cool story.

[Donut Operator]

Thank you so, so freaking much for this entire story. Like, from all of us. This has been something we've looked forward to for a long, long time. Been planning it. Whatever reason. Our phones can't talk. I have no idea why his. We cannot text each other or call and we both have iPhones.

[Brandon Herrera]

Well, it's probably because you blocked him.

[Donut Operator]

Yeah, past that. I was like, dang it, this isn't working. But once we. It's just everything. It truly thank you for your time. This amazing story that you just gave us, I didn't know it even last. Like, it's been two hours.

[Jake Larson]

Hours.

[Donut Operator]

Like, didn't feel like this is supposed to be a shorter one. This has been an amazing two hours.

[Brandon Herrera]

So we're sorry for wasting your time.

[Jake Larson]

I think I'm the one that wasted your time, sir.

[Donut Operator]

I'm gonna choke slam you right now. We are so lucky to have you here, brother.

[Brandon Herrera]

This is. This again, I feel like I speak for all of us. Has been one of the biggest pleasures of this entire podcast. Is being able to speak with you. Was fantastic.

[Cody]

Absolutely.

[Jake Larson]

I got one thing to say to you guys.

[Donut Operator]

Let's hear it.

[Jake Larson]

Thank you for having me. It's been an honor to be here. I'm a little old man from Hope, Minnesota, born and raised. And I love the veterans. I thank everybody for their help. Thank you for your help. Do you know I was honored of service from World War II for over a year before I had anybody say thank you for your service.

[Donut Operator]

Well, from all of us.

[Jake Larson]

And I know this is an honor for me. This is really an honor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Donut Operator]

Thank you for your.

[Brandon Herrera]

We thank you for.

[Donut Operator]

Thank you for your service. Truly, truly mean that.

[Brandon Herrera]

Actually, it's a legitimate pleasure, sir.

[Donut Operator]

See Brand way more respectful.

[Jake Larson]

Dang it.

[Donut Operator]

I didn't stand. Son of a bitch.

[Cody]

Thank you, sir.

[Donut Operator]

Now I Gotta shake my hand again.

[Jake Larson]

That's gotcha.

[Donut Operator]

One more time. I'm gonna shake it one more time.

[Jake Larson]

You. You guys know how to put the grip on an old man.

[Donut Operator]

I'm not going to. I'm not. But actually, what I will do. General Randy George, you gave me an extra coin, and I'm gonna give it to you guys. I'll give it to you directly. But that's the chief of staff of the army, so he's the big wig out there. I have two of his coins. Randy, if you get pissed for me for this, we fighting. But I'm gonna give you one of his coins.

[Jake Larson]

Wow.

[Donut Operator]

And this and that, and you guys have been amazing. I'm gonna have Cody. Well, before we close out, where do we find you on social media? What's your. What's your. Tick tock?

[Jake Larson]

Tick tock, tick tock. YouTube. YouTube. What else, Carl? Instagram. Instagram, Instagram. No. Facebook. Story time with Papa Jake.

[Donut Operator]

Story time with Papa Jake.

[Jake Larson]

That. That's what you say. That's the key to get in there.

[Brandon Herrera]

What do you. What do you do there?

[Jake Larson]

What do I do there? Yeah. I tell a story to my granddaughter Kayla there, and she does. She does all the preparatory work, putting it in and everything. I got to tell you how this started. She dances on cruise ships. She dances and sings on cruise ship. When Covid started, cruise ship stopped. She came home. So she came over one day and says, papa, I put you on my TikTok. What the hell is TikTok? John laughed at that one.

[Brandon Herrera]

You have to put that in the intro. The hell is TikTok?

[Jake Larson]

She says, it's just little stories. I said. She says, I put one of yours on. Where'd you get it? She says, when you were telling me, I just put it on my phone. So one week later, she comes over, Papa, I'm taking you off of my TikTok. You really showed me up. What are you talking about? She says, it took me 10 months to get 10,000 viewers. You got that in a week.

[Donut Operator]

That's amazing.

[Jake Larson]

I think right now. What are we out now? 1 million. 1.2 million followers.

[Donut Operator]

1.2 million followers. Now you get to tell a story to everyone. Everyone. Thank you. Oh, my God. Thank you so much for coming out, brother.

[Brandon Herrera]

So I know that our viewers are going to enjoy this story, hopefully as much as we did, because I know I. I really. I hate to be a broken record. We really did appreciate you having. Having you here and telling those stories.

[Jake Larson]

A pleasure. If you want to see some of the stuff that I'm on Google me. Jake Larson. Just say Jake Larson. And you can't make this stuff up. You can't. And people say, were you afraid when you were in there? We're soldiers. We wanted to get in there before that, man. We didn't want to stay over here for that long without getting results. We're trained. They're trained to give you life.

[Donut Operator]

That is the truth.

[Jake Larson]

All you guys that were in the service, you know that they're expecting to do what is necessary to get things done.

[Donut Operator]

Yes, sir.

[Jake Larson]

But this is something that's so different. A little farm boy that joined the National Guard infantry and came up to be running Omaha beach on D Day. This is crazy. How did he ever get there? Well, right now I'm thinking, how did I ever get to have a million viewers? But to me, that is the biggest honor in the world. I've got 22 schools in the United States that are using that book as their history book. I've got a professor of history from Delaware University that came out and interviewed me for four hours. He's using that interview to train his future professors. That interview is available to anybody at Eisenhower College in Kansas. It's on record. That's awesome. I've got two recordings in the Congressional Library where I greeted the soldiers for November 11th, Veterans Day. And that's the maximum they'll let me. I've been there three times. I talk to the students, the students that go to military colleges. They're the ones that really appreciate what I've done.

[Donut Operator]

I think we all do.

[Jake Larson]

Those kids are just wonderful.

[Cody]

Before we.

[Jake Larson]

Helen Patton is General Patton's granddaughter. I met her at the 75th anniversary of D Day over in Belgium. She invited me personally to come out and be with her. Well, we went up to Boston, to Bunker Hill, and then the ship, the name of the ship, USS Constitution. We went on there and they dressed in their whites and they rang me out, and that's supposed to be quite an honor for me. So I asked while they're up there listening and I'm talking to them, and I said, has anyone got any questions? And it was just like dead silence.

[Donut Operator]

Right here, real quick.

[Jake Larson]

So I just want to get a.

[Cody]

Picture of all of us real quick. Jake.

[Jake Larson]

I pointed to one little sailor girl there in white. I said, you. What are you thinking right now? She says, I'm thinking I'm going to have to wash my lights tonight.

[Donut Operator]

You old dog's good people, before we.

[Brandon Herrera]

Close things out, is there anything that now, if you have the opportunity to Is there anything you'd like to say to the. The next generation of potential war fighters or. Or just the next generation in general?

[Jake Larson]

My God, I'm glad I'm not in your shape, Boots. They got all this special stuff to kill you. How do you get by that? What in the hell is with Putin?

[Donut Operator]

The new war is crazy.

[Jake Larson]

That's the kind of thing that worries me. Guys like that are off rock or there's something the matter with people like that. We fight these wars, then we have to rebuild everything that we knocked down and taken so many of our loved ones. And all my friends, people say to me, my God, you're a hundred years old. I want to live that long. I said, prepare to lose everybody you know?

[Donut Operator]

Well, we are appreciative. I know it's a lot. I know it's hard, especially for being the last living of your entire unit, but we appreciate everything you've done for veteran community, for the United States, all these little things. You are part of that, and we are honored to have you here, sir. Honored to have you.

[Brandon Herrera]

And on top of that, still being willing to come out and talk about this stuff and come to, I mean, of all things, our podcast, but continue to go out and do things for the community. I'm sure it's very appreciated, seriously.

[Donut Operator]

Thank you from the bottom of all our hearts, brother. We truly mean that.

[Jake Larson]

One thing else I want to tell you. I was born and raised on a farm. I didn't get a chance to go to church because our church burned down. The Danish Lutheran Church burned down. I did get a Bible from this service, and I found out one thing. There is a God. I'm living proof for all that I've gone through. How is it possible I don't have aches or pains? I had a stroke. I couldn't move. I'm laying there in bed. My bladder is telling me, jake, you better get me to the bathroom or you'll be sorry. And I can't move. We live in the house with my two sons. When the alarm started playing music and I didn't shut it off, my oldest son came down and says, dad, you got problems. I can't move. I said. So he got me to the hospital. I'm a little atrophied in that left hand, if you see the difference how atrophied I am here, the thumb doesn't work right. How come I got through all that stuff and had cardiac arrest? Everybody know cardiac arrest?

[Donut Operator]

Yes, sir. Heart attack or stroke.

[Jake Larson]

They had to put some stents in me. I got 11 stents in me. How come I'm still alive?

[Brandon Herrera]

And not just alive, but somebody up.

[Jake Larson]

There likes what I do so they're not going to change it.

[Brandon Herrera]

Alive and walking around and being able to walk to your own seat, that's frankly incredible.

[Donut Operator]

Flying here.

[Brandon Herrera]

Yeah, flying across the country.

[Jake Larson]

I've been to Europe five times in the past six years. I've got a bunch of friends in North Ireland. I've got a young family in France and they came over for my 101st birthday. They came over here to me.

[Cody]

You deserve that.

[Jake Larson]

It's hard for me to realize these things happening around me and it keep happening. Even you guys, you wanted me to come down here and talk to you. You're in for really an interesting day because I'm different. I just tell people, well, I am different. Everything about me is different. I'm a very positive person. No negativity. I don't go to neg. And to me this probably one of the joys of my life sitting here talking to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Donut Operator]

Cody. Do your magic guys.

[Cody]

Thanks for joining the unsubscribe podcast today. I was joined by Eli Doublet Tap Papa Jake, Brandon Herrera, my self doubt operator. Thank you so much for being here guys.

[Donut Operator]

Thank you so much. And thank you so much. If you want to tell everyone, thank you.

[Jake Larson]

Thanks everybody. Papa J. Appreciate it.

[Donut Operator]

Truly a pleasure, brother.

[Jake Larson]

Truly, truly a pleasure.

[Donut Operator]

Holy moly.

[Jake Larson]

Holy.

[Donut Operator]

You see my.