Sarasota, Florida: Unconditional Surrender

The public spooners were in Sarasota, Florida, in 2005, then moved 3,000 miles to San Diego, California, in 2006. Now they've returned east to Sarasota, and this time their Florida fans hope that it's for keeps.

And people in San Diego were just getting used to the World's Largest Random Embrace.

I loved this! It is worth stopping and looking at. We parked by the Marina and then I was able to get out and take pictures of the statue and the plaque.

George, the sailor, was on leave and had a first date with a cousin to his new brother-in-law. He had met Rita at a BBQ a few weeks before and said he thought he fell in love with her the first time he saw her. The couple went to the theater. During the movie people starting banging on the doors from the streets. The war is over! The Japanese have surrendered!

With the news the couple ran out to Times Square. George caught glimpse of what he thought was a nurse, grabbed her, and kissed her...with Rita overlooking. George said he thought so much of the nurses he had seen take care of his fellow wounded that he grabbed her instinctively. The "nurse" was dental hygienist Greta, who had left the office to see Times Square since hearing the news of the war's end..when a man grabbed her, dipped her and kissed her!

None of the three knew of the photo nor did they speak of the incident until 1980 issue of Life ran the photo again, 35 years later! Now you know the rest of the story!!

The giant statues hit by a car and damaged in April were returned to their location on Tuesday. Their return was delayed by Hurricane Sandy. I like the statues, and can't believe some of the comments in the local paper by those who don't like them, and their disrespect for the World War II generation and veterans.