The ecstatic sailor shown kissing a woman in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. George Mendonsa was 95.
Mendonsa's daughter, Sharon Molleur, told The Providence Journal Mendonsa fell and had a seizure on Sunday at the assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, where he lived with his wife of 70 years.
Mendonsa was shown kissing Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant in a nurse's uniform, on Aug. 14, 1945. Known as V-J Day, it was the day Japan surrendered to the United States.
The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt became one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century.
It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple.
Friedman died in 2016 at the age of 92.
Mendonsa died two days before his 96th birthday. [Reply]
Today George would have faced a court martial over the sexual assault of a fellow enlisted person. At minimum he would have lost stripes and at worst separated from the military dishonorably. [Reply]
Originally Posted by MephistophelesJanx:
Today George would have faced a court martial over the sexual assault of a fellow enlisted person. At minimum he would have lost stripes and at worst separated from the military dishonorably.
He’d been in jail that night for sexual assault. [Reply]
Originally Posted by MephistophelesJanx:
Today George would have faced a court martial over the sexual assault of a fellow enlisted person. At minimum he would have lost stripes and at worst separated from the military dishonorably.
She wasn't in any branch of the service. Nurses, dental assistants, and other medical personnel wore white uniforms well into the 1980s. As for the allegations of sexual assault, she may have been kissing him first. I've been told there was a lot of partying going on after almost 4 years of war for the US. Just sayin'. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJJasonp:
Without naming names (trying to keep this in Lounge).......it has already been an issue for a few years now here in san diego.
Kudos to S.D. They raised $1M in 3 months to make it happen. Other than 2 members of the Public Art Committee, seems like San Diego folks like it better than a whale's vajayjay. :-) [Reply]