The "A Kiss Or An Assault? The Iconic Photograph By Alfred Eisenstaedt" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading online about the death of George Mendonsa, a World War II veteran whose claim to fame was being the sailor kissing the nurse in the iconic image taken in Times Square on August 14, 1945 by renowned photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt.  It was published in Life Magazine as a scene from "V-J Day in Times Square."  It was on that day that Americans crowded the streets to celebrate the Japanese surrender to the Allies at the end of WWII.  

Alfred Eisenstaedt's iconic photograph.

The photo has always been one of my favorites and when I posted a story years ago of my all-time favorites, it was one I included.  Over the years other sailors have laid claim to being the sailor in the photo, but Mendonsa was able to prove it was him due to his large hands and the scar on his brow.  Neither Mendonsa nor the nurse, a dental assistant, whose identity was similarly unknown, but was later confirmed to be Greta Zimmer Friedman of Virginia, knew at the time that the random kiss was captured for posterity.  She died in 2016 at the age of 92.  

Picture of George with the photo of he and
Greta as well as one of him in uniform.

George Mendonsa was 95 when he died and was said to have been very proud of his service and the picture and what it stood for.  It had been an important part of his life.  But, the day after Mr. Mendonsa died a statue commemorating the couple was found vandalized in Sarasota, Florida.  It had been sprayed painted with red paint and bore the phrase "#MeToo" which refers to the movement against sexual assault and harassment.  To many, the "timeless kiss" was much more than a couple kissing in celebration of the end of the war, it was sexual harassment!  

Recent vandalism of statue of the couple in Florida.

Miss Zimmer didn't see him approach- ing.  Mendonsa had been drinking and grabbed her and kissed her without knowing her.  It was said that the photo- graphic image was symbolic of a time when men controlled women and normalized sexual assault.  She did said, "It was just somebody really celebrating.  It wasn't a romantic event,  it was just an event of 'thank God, the war is over' kind of thing because it was right in front of the sign."  It was known as one of Alfred Eisenstaedt's best photographs.  We will never know the intent behind the photo, but the black and white image will live on in history as one of the most iconic photos to the era, be it good or bad.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.