Kissing The War Good-Bye - The Real Kissing Sailor

Buddy Andrew, who has now passed away, was also in the left side of the famous Life Magazine Alfred Eisenstaedt photograph in which Ken and Edith Shain dominate. Andrew was the person who later pointed out to Ken the photograph.

A "short guy" known to many as Eisie voiced to Ken, "Young man, go over and grab and kiss the first girl out of the subway and I will make you famous."

Ken reflected in a recent interview with Chris' Old Life Magazines, "Two nurses were coming up out of the subway hand in hand laughing. I grabbed the first one who was quite unaware and said, "Let's kiss." The woman, later to be found to be Edith Shain replied with a simple, "OH!" "She didn't know me and was astounded," relayed Mr. McNeel. "Her legs were crossed and her arms were at her side. Flashes were going off everywhere from all of the cameras. I just closed my eyes and got such a grip!"

"Later I talked to her and she said, 'I just sort of laid back and surrendered.' After we kissed her girlfriend said, 'Let's go.' We walked off in different directions and met all sorts of girls and had free drinks. I never thought about it again until I later saw the picture and said, 'That's me!'"

When asked if Mr. McNeel knew that there was a search years ago for the kissing sailor to come forward, he responded that he did know. Why then did he not come forward? "Frankly," responded Mr. McNeel, "I was embarrassed. That was not acceptable behavior and I was a member of a church group back then. It just wasn't appropriate."

The fragment above is not the beginning, nor the end of Ken McNeel's story. It is simply a small fraction of a life that began in 1923 and is not yet complete on this date in 2005.

More will be revealed as we complete our interviews.

Alfred Eisenstaedt had no idea at the time he shot the photograph of the "kiss seen around the world" that one of his main subjects was also a photographer and soon to be Hollywood celebrity.

The famous moment in history and in everyone's life was just that to Ken McNeel as well. It was only a moment.

Please join us as we continue our interviews with the real Kissing Sailor.

Reporters note:
Chris Palmer ran across Ken McNeel in a round about way. A woman called to place an order with Chris's Old Life Magazines and they got to talking about the "Kissing Sailor". The woman responded, "Oh, he's my neighbor!" What a treat for a man who makes his living retailing original life magazines. A man who knows what is on every cover and in every issue. Chris is quick to point out that the "Kissing Sailor" was not an original LIFE magazine cover image, as many think. As a result of his conversation with Ken McNeel's neighbor, earlier this year, Mr. Palmer flew out to meet the real kissing sailor.

Through image comparison and interviews there is no doubt in this reporters mind, or that of Chris Palmer, that this is indeed the real kissing sailor.