One of the iconic photos of the Second World War is that of an American sailor kissing a nurse. The photo was taken on 14 August 1945 at the Victory Day parade held at Times Square, New York. The magnificent photo showing a couple at a beautiful angle went viral after it was published in the Times magazine. It will remain one of the best photographs of all time, showing such intimate human interaction as people celebrated peace.
Months after the photo was taken by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, there was a media frenzy to try and identify who the sailor and nurse really were. Two people responded to the photo. The first was the nurse Greta Friedman, who was 21 years when the picture was taken. She said “I was walking down the street when this strong sailor gripped me. It was he who kissed me, I didn’t kiss him. It was someone celebrating”. Greta died aged 92 years.
There were a few sailors who came forward to claim that they kissed the nurse. It was later established that the sailor in the amazing photo was George Mendonsa aged 22 at that time. George was a sailor attached to the USS Sullivans (this ship had a sentimental story to her own name: she was named after 5 brothers whose surname was Sullivan, who sailed on the USS Juneau, which was sunk by a Japanese submarine. The brother’s names were Francis, George, Joseph, Madison and Albert. The ship was named in their honour).
Sailor Mendonsa went onto explains “I was watching a movie with my friend Rita at the Radio City Music Hall. Suddenly the doors burst open and people were happily shouting that the war was over” The 22 year old was excited and had consumed a few drinks. Feeling elated he walked into the intersection of 45th Avenue and Broadway and noticed the nurse, in her white uniform. He grabbed her and kissed her in public. Some opine that the time was around 5.50pm.
Years later the photographer Alfred had said “The dark uniform of the sailor and the nurses white dress gave the perfect contrast for my photo, I had taken 4 shots”. Alfred died aged 92 years in 1995. The kissing couple was also captured on camera by US Navy photographer Victor Jorgensen, which validates the kissing moment. This photo taken after the end of a long and cruel war captured the essence of liberty and love. It will be a cherished photo for decades to come. It also reminds us that a picture certainly speaks more than a thousand words.