Veterans Chronicles : George , talk about your decision to join the Navy , and where you served while you were in the Navy .
George : Well I was born and raised in Newport , RI . My father was a commercial fisherman and I was raised on the water , and when the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor , well I knew sooner or later I had to get into the Navy because I didn ’ t want to get stuck and be drafted into the Army , so I volunteered to go into the Navy in November 1942 .
Veterans Chronicles : Where did you serve during the war ?
George : During the Navy battle in Guadalcanal a cruiser got hit and it sunk and disappeared in 35 seconds . And on the cruiser were the five Sullivan brothers , and of course they all got killed . The USS Juneau was the name of the cruiser that sunk . So , I went into the Navy in 1942 and there was a destroyer being built in San Francisco . The president of the United States ordered that cruiser . The destroyer was to be named USS The Sullivans after the five brothers that just got lost . So , that ’ s the ship I served on , and in 1943 we went to the Pacific and we were out
there for a couple of years and we operated with the carriers Task Force 38 and Task Force 58 . She was a good ship and I was proud to serve on the ship named after the five brothers .
A YOUNG GRETA ZIMMER – “ THE NURSE .” A NATIVE OF AUSTRIA , HER PARENTS WERE KILLED IN THE HOLOCAUST , WITH GRETA BARELY ESCAPING TO THE UNITED STATES .
Veterans Chronicles : Greta , how long had you been there before “ the kiss ” happened ?
Greta : Not that long . I was looking up at the building . I did not see him approach . He is a very strong man . I really couldn ’ t get out of his strong grip .
Veterans Chronicles : How long did it all last ?
Greta : I don ’ t know … It was longer than usual . When you meet someone you know , it ’ s what , a couple seconds ? It was longer than that .
Veterans Chronicles : George , did either of you say anything to each other ?
George : No , nothing . She went her way and I went mine . And I flew out that night to go back to San Francisco .
Veterans Chronicles : The woman you were with on a date , the day that the Japanese surrendered , she ultimately became your wife and is still your wife today . And she wasn ’ t bothered at all that you grabbed that nurse and went and kissed her in Times Square ?
Greta Friedman
16 AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY