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Postscript: The
amazing thing about this story is how a simple GI graffiti scratched on a
wall someplace in Europe in the 1940’s could become a worldwide icon in
such a short time. But where-ever our GI’s have gone since the early
40’s they have taken our Kilroy with them – he has had one heck
of a ride.
In the early 1940’s, someone first scribbled the funny face
peeking over a fence and added these unforgettable words; “Kilroy was
here”. We don’t know how many thousands of times this simple
graffiti appeared during WW 2 and Korea, but we do know it
appeared in surprising places all over Europe, Japan and Korea – but
what is more surprising the graffiti was prevalent in Vietnam and now in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
After WW 2 with the American GI’s
coming home, many went into heavy industry and the building trades. They made
sure this GI graffiti did not die by reproducing it in secret places in some
of our most prestigious buildings and monuments. As an example, did you know
a reproduction of Kilroy is engraved on each of the granite headers over the
steps leading to the service area of the World War 2 Memorial in Washington
DC? It is seen in buildings, churches, cathouses and especially public
toilets everywhere from Alaska to Brownsville – most of the time
saying, “Kilroy is watching”.
Hundreds of people from all over the world
have claimed to be the originator of this phenomenon. Brits claimed to have
started it and even Nazi Germans, but we are convinced that Kilroy is
American as apple pie.
Near the end of WW 2 Hitler was completely
paranoid over the Kilroy phenomenon. This character seemed to be able to get
into everything and anything that was supposed to be secret in Nazi Germany.
Hitler ordered his best men to begin actively searching for this super-spy
and all troops were ordered to shoot on sight.
From the dark days of Bastogne on a bombed
out barn was written, “Kilroy was stuck here”. On the side of a
glider taking the 101 Airborne into battle was written, “Kilroy was
here – Look, no motor”. People were constantly amazed at some of
the places this graffiti was found and it seemed the more secret the hiding
place the better. As an example, it has been found in a bombed out castle
drawn on the floor under a throw rug – or in a closet on the ceiling
where “Kilroy” could see everything (he was a
“peeper” ya know).
One of the most humorous Kilroy stories I
have heard happened in Korea – reported by an old Frogman some thirty
years after the hostilities.
“Our Team was directed to insert a squad into a sector of North
Korea to search for a downed UN flyer who had bailed out of his damaged
aircraft close to the coast. There were eight of us and we had a couple of
Korean interpreters in case one was needed. After dividing our force into two
units of 4 men each (one interpreter with each group) we split up to search
different sectors. After my unit had wondered around not seeing much for a
couple of hours, we finally came upon a cluster of hooches. They
were all dark except one where we could see a light, So we figured we should
check it out. When we rushed in, I
figured we’d get the usual screaming and shouting, but instead, the
only person we found was an attractive female who stood with her hands on her
hips and was angrily spouting something in Korean. Our interpreter said,
“She wants to know why we came back”? “She said the GI
promised we’d leave her alone”. Of course none of us had the
slightest idea what she was talking about. In short order the interpreter
explained, “She said she was visited an hour ago by a GI – when
he left he promised her we would not bother her because she had
“helped” him. Of course we
didn’t believe a word of it – but she had proof. She angrily
gestured with one hand for us to get out – but with the other she
lifted her skirt and there across her bare bottom for the entire world to see
- some old Frog had written, “Kilroy was here”….Of course
the authenticity of this story cannot be substantiated – but for old
Frogs, it sounds about right.
[Editor’s
Note: For a more comprehensive account
of the history of Kilroy Google
Wikipedia on the internet.] |
