The photo above and much of the information below was posted on the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park Facebook page. The park is in Richmond, California.
It’s about the graphic and slogan “Kilroy Was Here” that was famous during World War II. (In today’s terminology you could say it “went viral.”) I know that I still see it on occasion. I bet you have, too, even in recent times. I suppose today it would be called graffiti. Here’s the story about how this now-iconic graphic came to be:
The simple doodle and slogan of a bald-headed man peeking over a wall has a fascinating history dating back to World War II. The phrase is believed to have started with James J. Kilroy, a shipyard inspector in Quincy, Massachusetts. To mark sections he had inspected, he would write “Kilroy Was Here.” There are other versions of its origins, as well.
American soldiers picked up on this and began marking it wherever they went, from the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of the Pacific, boosting morale and leaving their mark in foreign lands. Eventually the doodle became so popular that it could be found everywhere — on ship holds and bridges, in bathrooms and later painted on the shells of Air Force missiles.
“Kilroy Was Here” became a symbol of American presence and resilience during WWII. It represented the widespread reach of American forces and provided a sense of camaraderie among soldiers.
The myths surrounding it were numerous and often centered on a German belief that Kilroy was some kind of super spy who could go anywhere he pleased.
AFTER THE WAR, it continued to appear in various media. Today, it serves as a quirky yet poignant reminder of the experiences and travels of American troops during one of the most significant conflicts in world history.
Do you have a “Kilroy Was Here” story? If so, please leave a comment.
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I joined the Navy in 1967 and retired in 1988 during my career I was tasked many times both as an Enlisted Man and an Officer to inspect the voids on different ships. Several times after I had crawled to the darkest deepest regions of a void with my flashlight and inspection mirror tied to my wrists I found Kilroy Was Here scrawled on the void webbing. Great article brings back fond memories.
lost but not forgotten. Thanks for reminding us and possibly informing some who did not know. Killroy lives!
About 20 years ago a bypass highway was opened and on the soundbarrier fence was a cutout of kilroy. It’s still there but trees have overgrown it. Todays people have no idea what it’s about. Thanks for the reminder
There is a Kilroy on the back (right side if face front) of WWII Memorial in Washington DC
We discovered it during an Honor Flight last month.
We found it, but it was not easy.
Thank you, Chuck! 🙂 I think that I saw it when I was much (~60 years) younger, but cannot recall seeing it more recently, other than here, of course. Tangential point: my first of many colleges had a tradition somewhat along these lines in that a fictious student, Ted Kanamine, was included in every yearbook in the classes section. His “picture” was that of a ventriloquist’s dummy that resembled Charlie McCarthy sans monocle. Thanks again, have a great week, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂