thekissingsailor.com
What thekissingsailor.com Actually Is
thekissingsailor.com is a travel-inspiration and lifestyle blog — not a fan page dedicated to a famous photograph, not an official museum site, and not a historical archive. The homepage presents content about travel destinations, relaxation getaways, cultural exploration, and trip planning. It includes sections like “Chill Escapes,” “Wanderlust Vibes,” and “Destination Dreams,” with articles aimed at inspiring travel or offering travel tips. (The Kissing Sailor)
The site also includes basic site pages — About Us, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions — typical of general blogs or content platforms. (The Kissing Sailor)
There’s no clear indication the site sells history books or is affiliated with the famous V-J Day in Times Square photo that most people think of when they hear “The Kissing Sailor.” Instead, the name seems repurposed more broadly for creative branding in travel content. (The Kissing Sailor)
You’ll also find third-party services offering to publish links or mentions on this site for a fee — a sign the site is probably part of the open web content ecosystem rather than a tightly curated editorial publication. (PRNEWS.io)
How This Site Relates to the Famous Photo Story
There is a well-known book titled The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo That Ended World War II, written by Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi — and the domain thekissingsailor.com is associated with that title in some references, like on authors’ LinkedIn pages. (LinkedIn)
But that book is a historical investigation into a photo, specifically the iconic V-J Day in Times Square image by Alfred Eisenstaedt from August 14, 1945. (Wikipedia)
That book’s focus isn’t travel. It’s about trying to identify who the sailor and the woman in that famous photo really were, and it sifts through decades of claims, counterclaims, forensic detail, and historical writing to make a case for specific individuals. (Wikipedia)
When you click the website itself, though, you don’t see historical storytelling or book content — you see travel and lifestyle content. That suggests either:
the domain was repurposed and now hosts different content, or
the book and the blog share a brand name by coincidence, or
the book once used the site but it’s not the main focus anymore.
Without official documentation linking the site’s travel content to the book project, treat them as distinct things that happen to share a name.
What the Famous “Kissing Sailor” Photo Is
One of the most reproduced World War II images is the photograph known as V-J Day in Times Square, taken on August 14, 1945 by Alfred Eisenstaedt. It shows a U.S. Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a woman in New York City in spontaneous celebration after Japan’s surrender — essentially the end of World War II. (Wikipedia)
Here’s the important context:
The image is not staged. Eisenstaedt captured a split-second moment during public jubilation. (Wikipedia)
The identities of the people in it weren’t recorded at the time. LIFE magazine published the photo without names. (Wikipedia)
Decades of claims followed. Multiple people later claimed to be either the sailor or the woman. (Wikipedia)
Authors Verria and Galdorisi used forensic analysis and other evidence to argue that the woman was likely dental assistant Greta Zimmer Friedman, not previously claimed Edith Shain. (Wikipedia)
That book itself has been sold in various book markets, and those sales listings sometimes still reference the name and domain of the site. (eBay)
Key Takeaways
thekissingsailor.com is a travel and lifestyle blog, not a historical archive. (The Kissing Sailor)
It features curated travel pieces and inspiration around destinations and experiences. (The Kissing Sailor)
The name overlaps with a well-known historical topic — the V-J Day in Times Square photograph — and with a book that investigates that photo’s subjects. (LinkedIn)
There’s no strong evidence the site’s current travel content is directly tied to that historical book or its claims. (The Kissing Sailor)
Some commercial sites list the site as a place to buy mentions, suggesting it’s part of general content networks rather than a protected, scholarly source. (PRNEWS.io)
FAQs
Q: Is thekissingsailor.com an official historical source about WWII?
No. Right now, the live site appears focused on travel and lifestyle content. There’s no clear, authoritative historical research presented on the site itself. (The Kissing Sailor)
Q: Is the site connected to the book The Kissing Sailor?
There’s some linking in public profiles and references to the book using the same domain name, but the current content doesn’t primarily reflect the book’s historical focus. (LinkedIn)
Q: Was the “kissing sailor” photo staged?
No — it’s widely described as a candid capture of public celebration at the end of WWII. (Wikipedia)
Q: Who were the actual people in the photograph?
For many years their identities were uncertain. Research by authors like Verria and Galdorisi has made arguments for specific individuals (like Greta Zimmer Friedman), but debates and claims continued for decades. (Wikipedia)
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