Tik Tok: US veteran based at Brownlow House during World War Two wants to find old dance partner

A US soldier’s memories of being stationed in Northern Ireland during World War Two have been rekindled thanks to the power of social media.
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And now Tik Tok sensation Jake Larson wants to find out what happened to his dance partner from his time in Lurgan where he was based at Brownlow House.

It came about after his granddaughter McKaela set up a Tik Tok account – @storytimewithpapajake – allowing the 97-year-old to share his war stories such as the storming of Omaha beach on D-Day.

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At the end of July a video was posted of Jake, who is from Lafayette, California, looking through photographs of himself and other soldiers at a place which he described as a castle where “every room had a private chimney”.

One of his followers recognised it as Brownlow House and his granddaughter McKaela found YouTube footage to match his wartime snaps.

The result brought the veteran to tears. He said: “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. It brought it to life right there – working, going to that place every day. I advanced to a corporal, I advanced to a sergeant.”

McKaela has since set up a GoFundMe page which has raised close to $6,000 of a $10,000 target to fund a trip for Jake to Northern Ireland.

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Of the donations he said: “Thank you, guys. I hope I can live up to this, but you’re putting your money on a lame old horse, I can guarantee you of that.”

Papa Jake is close to tears as he is shown footage of Brownlow House where he was stationed during World War TwoPapa Jake is close to tears as he is shown footage of Brownlow House where he was stationed during World War Two
Papa Jake is close to tears as he is shown footage of Brownlow House where he was stationed during World War Two

The last time Jake was at Brownlow House, he was a 19-year-old with G-3 V Corps.

David Martin, manager of Brownlow House, said: “Isn’t it amazing. It’s been 76 years since he was last here.

“Wouldn’t it be absolutely marvellous if we could get him over here next year. He would be made more than welcome.”

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David added: “Brownlow House was the headquarters for all the American troops stationed in Northern Ireland. They arrived in February of 1942 and they left in May of 1944, just before D-Day. During that period there were 302,000 American soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland.

Papa Jake at Brownlow HousePapa Jake at Brownlow House
Papa Jake at Brownlow House

“In May of ‘44 Eisenhower visited the house to see the troops. He said without the concentration of troops in here the Allied invasion could not have happened. We’re very proud of our history.”

Since seeing the footage of Brownlow House, more memories have come back to Jake of his time in Lurgan.

He recalled an upstairs dance hall where he would regularly meet with a “wonderful person” called Nan Moody.

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He said: “She worked in a cigarette factory. Every night we went to the dance Nan Moody was there and she would dance with me. Maybe you could find one of her relatives. There’s a Yank over here in California that remembers the good times we had.”