George Mendonsa

George Mendonsa was the sailor depicted in the famous V-J Day kiss photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt in 1945. He became a symbol of joy and celebration at the end of World War II when he spontaneously kissed a nurse, Greta Zimmer Friedman, in Times Square. This moment captured the collective relief and excitement of the nation, although it later sparked discussions about consent and representation in wartime imagery.