LONG KISS GOODBYE
THE delighted sailor shown kissing a woman in New York City’s Times Square while celebrating the end of World War II has died, aged 95. George Mendonsa fell and had a seizure at the assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, where he lived with his wife. He was best known for kissing Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant in a nurse’s uniform, on August 14, 1945, the day Japan surrendered. People spilled on to the streets of New York to celebrate the news. George planted a kiss on Greta, who was a stranger to him. Alfred Eisenstaedt’s photo was first published in Life magazine and became one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. Several people later claimed to be the kissing couple and it was years before George and BY RECORD REPORTER reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk Greta were confirmed to be the two people.
George served on a destroyer during World War II and was on leave when the end of the war was announced.
When he was honoured at the Rhode Island State House in 2015, he said Greta reminded him of nurses on a hospital ship that he saw care for wounded sailors.
He added: “I saw what those nurses did that day and now back in Times Square the war ends, a few drinks, so I grabbed the nurse.”
Greta, who died in 2016, aged 92, said in a 2005 interview that: “The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed.
“It was just somebody really celebrating. But it wasn’t a romantic event.”
George died two days before his 96th birthday, his daughter Sharon Molleur said.