Unit 77
　　George Mendonsa -- the VJ Day Sailor
　　George's father came to America alone in 1911 and raised his sons on the water fishing. George joined the US Navy at 19 in 1942. His experience in fishing boats and a need for navigation experience in the rapidly expanding fleet lead to his assignment to quartermaster school and advancement to petty officer third class on graduation. Mendonsa then served on the USS THE SULLIVANS to the end of the war.
　　When the war ended in Europe, army troops there were transferred to the Pacific in preparation for the planned invasion of the main islands of Japan. This provided the opportunity for rest for the ships in need of maintenance.
　　George also went on leave and flew home to Newport, Rhode Island, where he met Rita Petry, a cousin of his brother-in-low's. George stayed with Rita's family in New York City for a few days before his return to the west coast in the early morning of August 15th, 1945.
　　George and Rita went to a movie on the 14th of August. The show was interrupted by the announcement that Japan had surrendered and the war was over. The streets came alive with wildly happy people pouring out from every building, celebrating the day they had all been waiting for. George and Rita stopped for a few drinks as they were headed for the 42nd Street subway station through the wildly excited crowd.
　　As they passed through Times Square, a nurse in uniform walked along in the crowd. George took her in his arms as she passed and started to kiss her. As he did, Alfred Eisenstadt walked up and took photographs which would record the moment in American history.
　　George says that he really can't explain the kiss. He will only say the combination of the joy of the moment, the drinks and the soft spot in his heart for nurses brought on the impulse to kiss the nurse as she passed. The sight of that nurse brought to mind the tender care he had received in a hospital ship for minor surgery and the nurses who cared for the injured sailors.
　　George did not know the Kissing Sailor pictures were taken until 1980 when Life Magazine asked for the sailor and the nurse to come forward in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the picture. A friend recognized George as the sailor in the photo. George contacted Life Magazine.
　　Life Magazine chose to let the sailor's identity remain a mystery until in 1994, when photo analysis expert, Richard Benson, confirmed "George Mendonsa is the sailor in Mr. Eisenstadt's famous photograph." Eisenstadt actually took four photos of the Kissing Sailor on 14 August 1945. George's future wife Rita's face is visible in two of the photos. The most remarkable piece of physical evidence discovered was a lump on the sailors left arm. Richard examined George's left arm and found a lump in exactly the same spot as the sailor in the photograph.