Biden Administration Orders Removal of World War II Picture, Then Abruptly Rescinds Ban

A black and white print of a sailor and a nurse kissing in Times Square on VJ Day is laid out from the vast collection of historic photographs stored in the Hulton Archive in London, England, on May 13, 2011. Oli Scarff/Getty Images

President Joe Biden’s administration has rescinded a ban on a famous World War II picture.

“Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities, and we will keep it in VA facilities,” Denis McDonough, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), said in a statement.

He was referring to a picture showing a sailor and a nurse kissing in Times Square in New York City on Aug. 14, 1945, after Japan surrendered to the Allies.

A VA memorandum dated Feb. 29 and made public earlier Tuesday directed all facilities to remove the photograph, known as “V-J Day in Times Square.”

“The placement of this photograph in Veterans Affairs facilities was initially intended to celebrate and commemorate the end of World War II and the triumphant return of American soldiers,” the memo stated.  “However, perspectives on historical events and their representatives evolve. Recent discussions have highlighted concerns about the non-consensual nature of the kiss.”

Greta Friedman, who died in 2016, has said she was the nurse in the photo. Ms. Friedman said in an interview before her death that “it wasn’t my choice to be kissed” and “the guy just came over and kissed or grabbed.”

The U.S. Department of Justice defines sexual assault as a non-consensual act, the VA memo noted, and some VA employees had spoken out against keeping the picture up in facilities.

“To foster a more trauma-informed environment that promotes the psychological safety of our employees and the veterans that we serve, photographs depicting the ‘V-J Day in Times Square’ should be removed from all VHA facilities,” RimaAnn O. Nelson, a VA official, wrote in the memo. “This action reflects our dedication to creating a respectful and safe workplace and is in keeping with our broader efforts to promote a culture of inclusivity and awareness.”

A VA spokesperson said that the memo should not have been sent out and that it has been rescinded.

The Epoch Times has filed Freedom of Information Act requests to try to uncover more information about what transpired.

“I can definitely say that the memo was not sanctioned,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in Washington. “And so, it’s not something that we were even aware of until you all started reporting on it. But we are not banning that photo. And I’m just going to be super clear about that.”

Mr. McDonough issued the statement confirming the picture would not be removed from VA facilities of his own volition, she added.

The memo had sparked backlash, with critics saying the picture should not be taken down.

“From a veteran this is ridiculous, you shouldn’t try and erase our history,” Brian Sims wrote on X.

“This photo is historic and the people banning everything need a new hobby,” another user said.

George Mendonsa, the Navy sailor who was said to have kissed Ms. Friedman, said in an interview before he died that he kissed the nurse because of the uniform she had on, due to how nurses had taken care of the wounded during the war.

“I don’t believe I said anything. It happened. She went her way and I went mine,” Mr. Mendonsa said. He later added: “Everybody was excited. Everybody was in a great mood. There was nothing wrong with kissing people. It was all done in good clean honest fun.”

Mr. Mendonsa and Ms. Friedman kept in touch over the years, they said. They also got together in 1980 to recreate the image.

“I think he was the one who made me famous but, I mean, because he took the action. I was just a bystander. So, I think he deserves a lot of credit,” Ms. Friedman said of Mr. Mendonsa. “Actually, by the photographer creating something that was very symbolic of the end of a bad period.”

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the date the picture was taken. The Epoch Times regrets the error.