UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER: Below is a photo and a slide show of a Historic an Impressive Statue located near downtown Sarasota, Florida. The statue was inspired by an Iconic Photo that was Taken in Times Square, New York at the End of World War II.

​Such a meaningful landmark. Unconditional Surrender is a series of sculptures resembling a photo that was taken in NY at the end of World War II, when our soldiers were coming back home. Allegedly, this navy soldier was so thrilled to be back home that unexpectedly, he grabbed the nurse (or the woman dressed in all white) and kissed her. My guess is that he felt so delighted to be back home that he needed to express how he felt at that time.  Sweet!
 
Incidentally, the woman believed to be in the iconic photo, Greta Friedman, passed away last Thursday September 8, 2016.  She was 92 years old.
 
During a 2012 CBS News interview, Ms. Friedman told to the reporter that she did not see the soldier approaching, and that before she knew it, he had her on a tight grip.
 
The original statue was installed first in Sarasota, Florida in 2005. All the photos on my slide show were taken in the Sarasota location. In 2007, the statue was moved to San Diego (where I had the pleasure to see it in person for the first time). Subsequently. it was returned to Sarasota in 2009. Another statue that was on loan from the artist foundation, was installed in Hamilton, New Jersey in 2010.  A third statue was unveiled in Waikikki, Hawaii in 2011, but it was later moved to Pearl Harbor.
 
Finally, in 2014, one more statue was installed in Caen Memorial, in Normandy, France.