Oakland resident Sargeant Jake Larson is making the journey back to Normandy for the official D-Day Commemoration thanks to a few private companies.
Wheels Up, a private charter aviation company, will fly two west-coast veterans, including Larson, to Atlanta, GA so they can be part of a special flight to Deauville, Normandy Airport. Delta Air Lines in partnership with Best Defense Foundation and Nichelin North America will fly over 50 World War II veterans for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Larson, often called Papa Jake, will be one of those aboard the Delta flight June 2.
He enlisted in the National Guard in 1938 at 15-years-old after lying about his age. And after training at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana he was stationed at Bellamina and Armaugh in Northern Ireland.
He was then appointed operations Seargent in charge of planning the books for the invasion of Normandy, or Operation Overload.
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