Victory over Japan V-J Day 1945
Times Square Kiss Re-enactment
USS Cod August 15, 2010

Pucker Up!

That was the invitation to help honor the Greatest Generation by participating in USS COD Submarine Memorial's V-J Day Kiss-In.

Victory over Japan Day or V-J Day, is, of course, the day when the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II. The term has been applied to the day on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made in the afternoon of August 15, 1945 in Japan.

Because of time zone differences, it was announced August 14, 1945 in the United States. September 2, 1945 is when the signing of the surrender document occurred.

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945: Japanese representatives on board USS Missouri (BB-63).

But there was one photo that captured the jubilance of the nation and the world. Life Magazine published the photo taken in Times Square on August 14, 1945 shortly after the announcement by President Truman occurred and people began to gather in celebration.

Alfred Eisenstaedt went to Times Square and he spotted a sailor "running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight . . . Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse."

Nurse Edith Cullen Shain claimed to be the woman in the photo but the man was never identified.

The next day, the New York Times published this other view of the same scene but it was not as popular or famous as the Eisenstaedt shot.

To celebrate that memorable day and remember the veterans, couples from across the US re-created the famous kiss at ceremonies. The Cleveland ceremony was at the USS Cod.

Keep the Spirit of '45 alive

Paul Farace, Curator of the USS Cod, explains the reenactment of the V-J Day Celebration and famous Times Square kiss photograph



Frank Artino as a a Lieutenant, Ann Johnson as 2nd Lieutenant Army Air Corp Nurse and Scott Harmon dressed as a Chief Boatswain Mate

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US Submarine Veteran Fritz Hemrich worked the sound system

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Sheila Rosenberg on the deck of the USS Cod

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Three USS Cod re-enactors - a Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant Army Air Corp Nurse and a Chief Boatswain Mate explain the re-enactment of the V-J Day Celebration.

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Veteran Robert Hetman and his wife Margaret

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Submarine veteran Jack Paulin with his wife Marilyn

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Sheila Barnes and Alan Winkler

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Re-enactor Frank Artino honors the veterans of World War II
on Victory in Japan Day

Michelle Root and Eric Paul

Taking a look in the gun on the USS Cod

Getting "In the Mood"

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Awaiting the big announcement

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The radio announcement and reaction



Singing God Bless America

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Re-creating the Times Square V-J Day Kiss

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Sheila Barnes and Alan Winkler

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Scott Harmon and Ann Johnson

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V-J Day kisses

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Michelle Root and Eric Paul were judged the best kissers

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What a terrific way to Keep '45 Alive and honor those who served.