What a great day in San Diego - sunny and warm - and all the better to enjoy this morning's dedication of the 25 foot tall - "The Kiss" statute. It's also called "Unconditional Surrender" - as it commorates the famous picture of a Navy sailor in uniform - spontaneously kissing a Nurse (in her uniform) - in Times Square, NYC - when the news spread that the Japanese had finally surrendered in WWII.

This beautiful tribute to our history is properly situated next to the WWII carrier/USS Midway museum, on the Embarcadero here in San Diego. For ye foodies - it's also next to The Fish Market/Top of the Market http://www.thefishmarket.com/topofthemarket.aspx - where you can not only enjoy the freshest seafood there is - but also walk past the statute and further enjoy looking across the bay at Coronado.

Some couples who were married during WWII were renewing their vows, the vets in their uniforms - and there was a great trio of middle aged lasses - dressed in WAC uniforms - singing WWII songs - such as the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B, reminiscent of the Andrews Sisters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogie_Woogie_Bugle_Boy. ,

Here is the newspaper article - with a pic of the "Swinging' Blue Stars" - singing - as a couple dances, and there were others "cutting the rug" (well - on the sidewalk pavement anyway.

http://www.utsandiego.com/photos/galleries/2013/feb/16/unconditional-surrender-dedication/

"Cindy Moreno, Nancy Cardoza, and Cindy Shon, of the Swingin' Blue Stars of the USS Hornet perform 1940's era swing tunes at a dedication of the new version of "Unconditional Surrender"."


http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/16/kiss-statue-san-diego-dedication-WWII/

Here is prior article that tells more about the special fund raising effort needed to save this historic statute (to reproduce it really - as the old one was just a temporary construction) - and how it was forged in New Jersey - and after a parade in NYC - made it's way to San Diego. http://military.blogs.mydesert.com/2013/02/06/25-foot-times-square-kiss-on-its-way-to-uss-midway-in-san-diego/

I was fortunate to be able to say hello to the "Colonel" - Jerry Coleman - former Yankee baseball star and long time Padre broadcaster - who like San Diego's own Ted Williams - flew for the Marines during both WWII and the "forgotten" war - Korea. They were part of a truly special generation.
http://www.10news.com/news/replacement-kiss-statue-dedication-ceremony02162013