Sailor Who Kissed Woman In Iconic World War II Photo Has Died At 95

The man who appears in that iconic "kiss" photo, of people celebrating the end of World War II in Times Square, has died at 95.

George Mendonsa Was 95

George Mendonsa died Feb. 17 after a fall and seizure at an assisted-living facility in Newport, Rhode Island, according to the Washington Post. Mendonsa was two days' shy of his 96th birthday. Mendonsa, a Navy quartermaster, had served on a destroyer during WWII, and was on leave when the end of the war was declared.

'VJ-Day In Times Square' Is Eisenstaedt's Most Famous Photo

Flickr | anh forum

The clandestine picture, of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square, called "VJ-Day in Times Square," made the cover of Life magazine and was one of photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt's most famous photographs. The shot was taken on Aug. 14, 1945.

Greta Zimmer Friedman Escaped the Holocaust

The Washington Post writes that the woman in the photo was Greta Zimmer Friedman. Friedman, who was born in Austria and escaped the Holocaust, later worked as a dental assistant -- hence, the white uniform.

The Identity Of the Two Was Unclear For Years

For years, the identity of the sailor and nurse (dental assistant) were debated and pored over. Other frames from Eisenstaedt's photo series of the event were compared with Victor Jorgensen's photos to determine their identity. Jorgensen was a Navy photographer who got a similar shot of the kiss.

Time, Money, Effort Spent on Identifying the Momentary Couple

Facial recognition software and sworn testimony were among the factors to confirm it was Mendonsa and Friedman locked in the kiss. Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi, co-writers of the book "The Kissing Sailor," determined the identity of the man and woman in the passionate embrace by simple, astute observation, and a bit of help.

Tattoos Again Save the Day

According to the Post, a bump on Mendonsa's arm was discovered by Yale instructor and photographer Richard Benson, while forensic anthropologist Norman Sauer combed data for inconsistencies between Mendonsa and the person in the photo. Sauer was unable to find any. Mendonsa also stated he had that bump, or growth, on his left arm, and a tattoo on his right.

Friedman Recognized Her Hairdo

Flickr | ArmandoCorrea

As the Post writes, Friedman knew it was her.

“I know it happened to me. It’s exactly my figure, and what I wore, and my hairdo, especially,” she said, according to the Library of Congress' 205 Veterans History Project.

A Knee-Jerk Reaction

Unsplash | Alasdair Elmes

The brief moment was far from romantic. “It wasn’t my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed," Friedman said. Mendonsa agreed, saying that he had had a few drinks during the raucous celebration.

Friedman's White Uniform Prompted Mendonsa's Actions

According to the Post, Mendonsa had said Friedman's outfit reminded him of the nurses who tended to the wounded on the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill, which had been struck by kamikazes. Mendonsa was aboard the Sullivans, which picked up the injured from the Bunker Hill.

Mendonsa Remembered the Nurses

Unsplash | Denys Nevozhai

Mendonsa's actions weren't born from love; it was more a spontaneous moment prompted by a vivid memory than anything else. "I saw what those nurses did that day (on the Bunker Hill) and now back in Times Square the war ends, a few drinks, so I grabbed the nurse," Mendonsa said, according to WPRI-TV. According to Friedman, who spoke with the Library of Congress: "The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed."

"It was just somebody really celebrating. But it wasn't a romantic event," she continued.

The Uniform Made Her Stand Out

Flickr | maripavletich

If it weren't for that white outfit, he said he might not have reached out to her among the crowd of celebratory people. “I was watching how the nurses were taking care of the wounded as we were sending them over,” he said. “And I believe from that day on I had a soft spot for nurses. . . . I believe if that girl did not have a nurse’s uniform on, that I never would have grabbed her," he said, according to the Post.

Mendonsa Ran Out On His Date

Not coincidentally, Mendonsa was with his future wife, Rita Petry, when he gave the smooch to the stranger. They were both apparently at a Rockettes show when the end of the war was announced. He ran out into Times Square, and while she ran with him, Mendonsa still grabbed Friedman. (Petry can even be seen behind Mendonsa's head in one frame.) Mendonsa and Petry married a year later, and according to Petry, that kiss in the street never bothered her. Petry, by the way, supplied the sworn testimony to help confirm it was Mendonsa in the iconic picture.