It’s arguably the most famous photo in American history. You’ve seen it on posters in college dorms, on postcards in every New York City gift shop, and probably in history textbooks back in middle school. A sailor, back to the camera, dipping a woman in a white nurse's uniform for a passionate kiss. It’s the ultimate symbol of V-J Day—the end of World War II. People call it "The Kiss." But honestly, once you start digging into the story of the original sailor kissing nurse, the romantic veneer starts to peel away, revealing something much more complicated, slightly chaotic, and arguably darker than the postcard version suggests.
The moment was captured by Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945. Victory over Japan had just been announced. Peace was finally here. But here’s the thing: these two were total strangers. They weren't high school sweethearts reuniting after the horrors of the Pacific. They didn't even know each other's names when the shutter clicked.
The Chaos of August 14, 1945
Times Square was a mosh pit of humanity that day. Thousands of people poured into the streets of Manhattan because the war was over. Finally.
George Mendonsa, the man eventually identified as the sailor, was on leave. He’d been watching a movie at Radio City Music Hall with his girlfriend—yes, he had a date with him that day—when the news broke. They headed to a bar, George knocked back a few drinks, and then they spilled out into the street. He was caught up in the euphoria. He saw a woman in a white uniform. In his mind, she represented the nurses he’d seen tending to wounded sailors on hospital ships during the war. He grabbed her. He spun her back. He kissed her.
Greta Zimmer Friedman, the woman in the photo, wasn't actually a nurse. She was a dental assistant. She was 21 years old and had just stepped out of her office to see what the commotion was about. She had no idea George was coming. In interviews later in her life, she was very clear about the fact that it wasn't a romantic moment for her. It was something that happened to her. She described his grip as "very strong." It wasn't a choice; it was a whirlwind.
Sorting Through the Imposters
For decades, nobody knew who they were. Life Magazine didn't get their names. Eisenstaedt was too busy running around with his Leica camera to stop and take notes. He was looking for "the" shot, not a biography. Because the faces are partially obscured—George is hunched over and Greta’s face is mostly hidden by the angle of the dip—dozens of people claimed to be the original sailor kissing nurse duo.
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At one point, eleven different men claimed to be the sailor. Three women claimed to be the nurse. It became a bit of a forensic nightmare.
- Edith Shain was the most famous "claimant" for years. She even wrote to Eisenstaedt in the 1970s. For a long time, the world accepted her story. But physically, she didn't quite match the height proportions in the photo.
- Glenn McDuffie also claimed the title. He even underwent polygraph tests and had a forensic artist study his facial muscles.
- George Mendonsa, however, had the best evidence. If you look closely at the photo, you can see a woman’s head peeking over George’s right shoulder. That’s Rita Petry. She was his date that day. She’s literally in the background of the photo while her future husband is kissing another woman. That's a detail you just can't make up.
Forensic analysis eventually used 3D face modeling and skeletal structure comparisons to confirm it was Mendonsa and Friedman. It took nearly 60 years to settle the debate for sure.
Why the Context Matters Now
We look at this photo differently in 2026 than people did in 1945 or even 1995. Cultural norms have shifted. In the mid-20th century, the image was seen as the epitome of "The Greatest Generation" and their unbridled joy. It was a victory lap.
Today, many viewers see the original sailor kissing nurse photo and think about consent. Greta herself said, "I didn't see him coming. I didn't see him approaching." She wasn't an active participant in the kiss; she was a bystander who got pulled into a sailor’s celebration. This doesn't necessarily make George a villain—he was a young man who had seen horrific things at sea and was reacting to the news that he wouldn't have to go back to the front—but it does change the narrative from a "romance" to a "historical event."
It's a reminder that history is often messy. We like to package our memories in neat little boxes with bows on them. We want the kiss to be a love story. In reality, it was a split-second interaction between two people who never saw each other again until decades later.
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The Technical Magic of the Shot
Eisenstaedt was a master of the "candid" style. He didn't use a flash. He didn't ask them to pose. He was using a 35mm Leica, which allowed him to move quickly through the crowd. He actually took four photos of the pair in a matter of seconds.
In the most famous frame, the composition is perfect. The lines of the street, the contrast of the dark Navy uniform against the stark white of the dental assistant's dress, and the physical "V" shape formed by their bodies. It’s a masterclass in geometry. If George had kissed her standing straight up, the photo probably wouldn't be famous. The "dip" is what gave it the drama. It’s what made it art.
The Legacy of George and Greta
George and Greta lived long, full lives. George stayed with Rita—the girl in the background—for the rest of his life. They were married for 70 years. He lived to be 95. Greta passed away in 2016 at the age of 92.
They eventually met up again in the 1980s and 2010s for anniversary events. There was no awkwardness. They were just two people linked by a single 1/125th of a second in Midtown Manhattan.
It’s interesting to think about how many "original" moments are actually misunderstandings. We see what we want to see. We see the end of a war and the promise of a new, peaceful world. They saw a crowded street and a moment of pure, adrenaline-fueled relief.
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Actionable Takeaways for History Buffs
If you're interested in the history of photojournalism or the social impact of WWII imagery, here are a few things you should actually do to understand this topic better:
- Check out the "Other" Photo: Most people don't know that another photographer, Victor Jorgensen, took a photo of the same kiss from a different angle. It’s titled Kissing the War Farewell. It’s a tighter shot, less "artistic" than Eisenstaedt's, but it provides a great perspective on how much the angle of a photo changes the story.
- Visit the Statue—With Context: There are "Unconditional Surrender" statues based on the photo in places like Sarasota, Florida, and San Diego. When you see them, look for the details of the uniforms. They are massive, and seeing the scale of the "dip" in 3D really highlights how physically intense that moment was.
- Read "The Kissing Sailor": If you want the deep-dive forensic evidence, the book The Kissing Sailor by Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi is the definitive source. It breaks down the height measurements and the scars on George's arm that proved he was the man in the photo.
- Consider the "Why": Next time you see a viral photo, ask yourself what's happening just outside the frame. In this case, the woman who would become the sailor's wife was standing right there. That single fact changes the entire "vibe" of the image.
The original sailor kissing nurse photo remains a cultural touchstone because it captures a feeling that words can't quite reach. It's the feeling of a world-wide sigh of relief. Even if the details are more "kinda weird" than "sweet romance," its place in the American psyche is permanent. History isn't always what it looks like on a greeting card, and usually, the real story is much more interesting anyway.
To truly understand the impact of this image, compare it to other iconic war-end photos from around the world. You'll notice that the American version is uniquely centered on individual expression and civilian-military intersection, whereas photos from London or Paris often focused on massive crowds or formal parades. This single kiss became the face of a nation's victory because it felt personal, even if the two people involved were essentially anonymous actors in a much larger drama.
Next time you're in Times Square, stand near 44th and 7th. Look around. The buildings have changed, the screens are brighter, and the people are dressed differently. But the energy of that space—the intersection of the world—is exactly why that kiss happened there and nowhere else.