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17 Vintage Photos of Wartime Love (1930-1960)

History Vintage Photos May 12, 2025

Last Updated on May 12, 2025 by Matt Staff

Wartime throughout the whole of human history has included numerous wartime separations between loved ones. This naturally gave way to many extremely heightened emotional war-bride sendoffs on crowded platforms across the globe.

This collection of vintage wartime photos of love aims to portray the tapestry of emotions that were endured by loved ones during such a profoundly difficult time. So, transport yourself back in time and experience an unforgettable bygone era.

1. Korean War Goodbye Kiss, Los Angeles, Sept 6th, 1950

A soldier leans out of a train window, passionately kissing a woman standing on the platform. Other soldiers inside the train smile and watch the couple.
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They really risked it all for this shot.

2. An American soldier spending time with his English girlfriend on the grass at Hyde Park, 1945

A couple lies on the grass, embracing and cuddling closely, wrapped in each other's arms in an open outdoor area with trees and benches in the background. The image is in black and white.
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Hyde Park has long since been a beautiful place.

3. Soldiers departing for Egypt lean out of their windows to kiss their loved ones goodbye, 1935

A group of women stand on a train platform, leaning in through train windows to kiss and say goodbye to soldiers who are inside the train, preparing to depart. The scene is emotional and crowded.
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That was about to be a long train ride filled with heartbreak.

4. Farewell to departing troops at New York City’s Penn Station, April 1943

A woman wipes her tears with a handkerchief while embracing a uniformed soldier at a train station, suggesting an emotional farewell during wartime. Other soldiers are visible in the background.
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Penn Station witnessed numerous moments of deep heartbreak.

5. A sailor kissing a nurse in New York Times Square, 1945

A sailor passionately kisses a nurse in the middle of a crowded street with people around them, celebrating. The photo is black and white and captures a joyful, historic moment in an urban setting.
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Those sailors really broke some hearts, and the outfits were no joke too.

6. An English ATS and Eighth Air Force Sergeant enjoy a blissful moment, 1945

A black-and-white photo of two people sitting on the ground, embracing and kissing while leaning against a large tree in a park with more trees in the background.
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So many blissful moments were enjoyed before heartbreak took over.

7. There was nothing that compared to being able to return from the harrowing moments of war

A woman embraces and kisses a returning soldier in uniform beneath a “Welcome Home” banner, standing outside a brick building.
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A loving “welcome home” indeed.

8. A British soldier kisses his wife upon his return from the Armed Forces in 1945

A soldier embraces a woman in front of a train station with a "New Hope" sign. Two smiling people hold hands nearby, and another person sits on a bench in the background. The scene appears joyful and nostalgic.
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That train platform must’ve felt like some kind of heaven on earth.

9. Those wartime dances were filled with all manners of heartbreak and romance

A woman embraces and kisses a soldier in uniform at a crowded train station, surrounded by others. The scene is in black and white, evoking a sense of farewell or reunion during wartime.
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Those were the dances that one never wanted to see end.

10. Jean Moore kneels and kisses her fiancé, wheelchair bound World War II veteran Ralph Neppel, 1945

A smiling man in a military uniform sits in a wheelchair, holding a folder. A woman leans in, appearing to kiss him on the cheek, with her arm affectionately around his shoulders. The scene is black and white.
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What a beautiful wartime moment, indeed.

11. A sailor leans over a picket fence and lifts his girlfriend up for a kiss, 1945

A sailor lifts and kisses a woman over a wooden picket fence; the woman’s feet dangle above the ground as she embraces him, both appearing joyful.
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The picket fence makes this shot just perfect.

12. Saying farewell to departing troops at New York’s Penn Station, April 1943

A soldier in uniform embraces and kisses a woman on the forehead in a busy train station, with people and luggage visible in the background and a large clock hanging above.
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The farewells that one never wanted to say in the first place.

13. U.S. soldier tenderly kissing his girlfriend goodbye before departing by train, 1922

A soldier leans out of a train window to kiss a woman on the platform, while other soldiers look on from nearby windows. The scene appears emotional and historic, likely from the early 20th century.
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That kiss must’ve pulled on all the heartstrings that they had.

14. American soldiers having their final kisses with their loved ones before deployment to Egypt, 1963

Women sit on a dock, leaning through portholes of a ship to kiss or speak to people inside. The scene captures an emotional farewell, with the ship and dock stretching into the background.
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Those train rides to Egypt must have been truly harrowing.

15. A young woman enjoying her time with her soldier in the 1940s

A woman in a short skirt smokes a cigarette while walking beside a uniformed man near an outdoor staircase. Other people are in the background, and empty chairs are scattered around. The scene appears to be from the mid-20th century.
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They seem to be having a fun enough day together.

16. The heartache of wartime romance was unparalleled

A soldier in uniform passionately kisses a woman in a long coat, standing close together in front of a black metal gate and a building.
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Seriously, wartime romances sadly gave way to sheer heartbreak, time and time again.

17. A girl climbs up to say goodbye to her soldier going off to fight in World War II, 1940

A black-and-white photo showing soldiers leaning out of a train to say goodbye to loved ones, with a woman reaching up to kiss a soldier. The scene is crowded and emotional, capturing a wartime farewell.
yoloaraculus

That can’t have been an easy climb to undertake.

Explore more wartime content here:

For a fuller sense of how entire communities kept hope alive, explore Life in the 1940s: A Glimpse Into Wartime and Resilience, where ration books share space with dance-hall smiles. Then see how affection shaped fashion in 20 Photos of Classic 1940s Styles, from victory-roll curls to pin-striped uniforms that turned every station platform into a runway.

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