Christine Hochkeppel

Portraits

George Mendonsa, 86, sits in the backyard of his home in Middletown. He insists that he is the sailor kissing the young woman in Alfred Eisenstaedt's picture, "V-J Day in Times Square," even though several different men came forward claiming to be the kisser in years past. Mendonsa believes the proof lies in his unusually large hands as well scars and tattoos on his arms that match up on enlarged versions of the photo.
George Mendonsa, 86, sits in the backyard of his home in Middletown. He insists that he is the sailor kissing the young woman in Alfred Eisenstaedt's picture, "V-J Day in Times Square," even though several different men came forward claiming to be the kisser in years past. Mendonsa believes the proof lies in his unusually large hands as well scars and tattoos on his arms that match up on enlarged versions of the photo.