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Statue of Iconic WWII Photograph May Remain in Place After GOP Lawmaker Steps In

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A controversial statue in Florida depicting the iconic photograph of a Navy sailor kissing a dental assistant taken on Aug. 15, 1945, in Times Square to celebrate the Allies’ World War II victory in Japan will reportedly remain in place after a Republican representative urged city officials to let it stay.

“Sarasota City Manager Tom Barwin just told me the ‘Unconditional Surrender’ statue will remain at the Bayfront,” Rep. Vern Buchanan said in a statement Tuesday.

“That’s what the people of our community wanted overwhelmingly.”

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The Republican representative had sent a letter to city officials as they discussed moving or removing the statue.

“The statue is a prominent and popular landmark of Sarasota’s Bayfront,” Buchanan wrote in his letter, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

“I’ve spoken with many people in our region, especially veterans, who feel strongly about keeping the statue in its current location.”

The 25-foot statue, as well as the photograph it depicts, has become controversial in recent years after Greta Zimmer Friedman, the dental assistant, said she did not give consent when George Mendonsa kissed her.

The backlash over the statue stems from a 2005 interview Friedman gave to the Veterans History Project.

“OK. Let’s get back to the kissing sailor. When he grabbed you and gave you a kiss, what did you feel like?” the interviewer, Patricia Redmond, asked.

“I felt he was very strong, he was just holding me tight, and I’m not sure I — about the kiss because, you know, it was just somebody really celebrating. But it wasn’t a romantic event. It was just an event of ‘thank God the war is over’ kind of thing because it was right in front of the sign,” Friedman said.

“He just grabbed you, gave you a kiss, and then was gone?” Redmond went on to ask.

“Oh, yeah, we both — we both left, went on our own way,” Friedman replied.

Following Mendonsa’s death in 2019, vandals spray-painted “#MeToo” on the sculpture, the Sarasota Police Department wrote in a news release.

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Members of Sarasota’s Public Arts Committee unanimously recommended in August to relocate the statue to the Sarasota Sahib Shriners’ campus, the Herald-Tribune reported.

Do you think the statue honors veterans?

Although Buchanan’s tweet seemed to indicate the decision to keep the statue at the Bayfront was final, commissioners have yet to make a formal vote — though many have expressed a desire to keep the sculpture on the bayfront.

“I’ve consistently stated I’ll vote to keep the statue on the Bayfront, and I’m sure that’s where it will end up staying,” Commissioner Hagen Brody said.

“I wish the congressman would focus his efforts on passing a federal infrastructure bill to put Floridians back to work and ease utility rates for our residents. We’ll handle the big public art decisions from here.”

Buchanan said he was told the statue may be temporarily moved during the construction of a new roundabout but will be returned to the Bayfront when it is complete.

“The statue holds special importance to our veterans because it celebrates the joyous end of World War II,” Buchanan said in his statement.

“This is a win-win for our residents and all of the visitors who come to the great city of Sarasota.”

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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