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Edith Shain, Nurse In Iconic Times Square Photo, Dies At 91
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 23, 2010
Modified Jun 23, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 23, 2010
Modified Jun 23, 2010
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Edith Shain, best known as the nurse kissing a sailor in the iconic photograph, has died at age 91. The photo was taken in Times Square on August 14th, 1945, when thousands converged there to celebrate victory over Japan. (The above photo, a slightly different angle, was taken by Lt. Victor Jorgensen, but the one that came to be a popular image was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt).
Sadly, Shain never really found out who that sailor was. She came forward as the woman in the photo decades after it was snapped, and in 2008 she told the Daily News, "In retrospect, I should have said, 'Hey, wait a minute!' and gotten his name and number."
When the photo was taken she was working at New York's Doctor's Hospital, but at the time of her death on Sunday she was in Los Angeles. In a statement, her son said: "My mom was always willing to take on new challenges and caring for the World War II veterans energized her to take another chance to make a difference." She spent much of her life honoring WWII veterans. And you can honor her this August at the annual Kiss-In in Times Square!
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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