Buzz
As Miguel de Cervantes once stated, "Love and war are the same thing, and stratagems and policy are as allowable in the one as in the other."
It is estimated that between 40 million and 50 million people lost their lives during the conflict from 1939 to 1945. Yet, even amidst such devastation, sparks of love ignited in the chaos. Love can strike at any moment, anywhere, and there’s something uniquely moving about couples finding it amid the horrors of war. It’s almost poetic. Thus, it comes as no surprise that many fell in love despite the desperate circumstances of World War II.
Let’s explore some of these unforgettable love stories from World War II that will surely captivate you.
10. Norwood Thomas and Joyce Durant Morris
In 2015, the heartwarming virtual reunion of Norwood Thomas and Joyce Durant Morris captured headlines. After 70 years apart, they had married other people, raised families, and seen the joy of grandchildren. Their lives had been fulfilling, but when they reconnected via Skype after decades, the floodgates of old memories opened wide.
Norwood and Joyce's love story began on the River Thames in 1944. After a few months of dating, they were separated when Norwood was deployed with the paratroopers into Normandy, France, on D-Day. This separation stretched over seven decades until Joyce’s son discovered contact details for Norwood’s son.
Their first reunion occurred via Skype in November 2016, with Norwood residing in Virginia Beach, U.S., and Joyce in Australia. The world was captivated by their touching story, leading to a GoFundMe campaign that aimed to bring them together. Air New Zealand generously offered to fly Norwood and his son to Australia.
In February 2016, Norwood and Joyce embraced each other in a heartfelt reunion in Australia. They spent two weeks together, including celebrating Valentine’s Day. Their reunion was so special, and one can only hope they meet again in the afterlife. Joyce passed away 10 months later, and Norwood followed in February 2021.
9. Bessie Moore and Chris Barker
Bessie Moore and Chris Barker were colleagues at the post office, forming a friendship that remained platonic. However, when Chris was sent to Africa to serve as a signalman at the start of World War II, Bessie found her emotions shifting, realizing her deeper affection for him.
Chris began to send letters to his loved ones, including Bessie and her partner, Nick. In her response, Bessie confessed she was no longer with Nick and openly shared her feelings for Chris.
In August 1944, Chris wrote a heartfelt letter, asking, "Dear, dear, dearest Elizabeth. What are you doing to me? What are we doing to each other? How did I not see you? Why was I blind? What can I do?" This letter was placed inside a blue box that Chris entrusted to his son Bernard just before his death.
The blue box contained hundreds of letters exchanged between Chris and Bessie throughout the war. Despite the chaos and devastation of World War II, their love endured, and they reunited and married after the conflict.
8. Walter Stewart and Laura Versfelt
The bond shared by Walter Stewart and Laura Versfelt was unshakeable, no force, not even war, could sever it. Their love story began in 1940 when they sat at the same desk at school. By 1941, they were married, soon expecting a child, only to face the heartbreak of losing the baby.
While still mourning their loss, Walter was sent to Hawaii in December 1943 for his Navy service. When the war ended, his only desire was to return to Laura. They reunited, built a family of four, and lived happily together until Walter's passing in 2013.
Walter spoke fondly of Laura, saying, "She’s what I needed to fill in the blanks," as noted in the book War Bonds: Love Stories from the Greatest Generation.
7. Walt Powers and Myrt Mueller
In Cindy Hval's War Bonds, there's another touching story, this one about a Navy surgery technician who finds love with a Marine dietician amid the turmoil of war.
Walt Powers joined the Navy in 1943 and met Myrt Mueller, an Oregon schoolteacher, at the military base. Mueller, determined to protect the fathers of her students who were being drafted, enlisted in the Marines. Although she never saw combat, she was spared from it by fate, and it brought her closer to Walt.
Walt instantly fell for Myrt when they first met, a feeling that deepened when he invited her to go for a bike ride, and she agreed, but only after church. The connection between them grew, and despite his deployment to Japan and China as the war began to wind down, they kept in touch and developed a love through their letters.
In 1946, shortly after Walt returned home, they tied the knot.
6. Lucy and George: A love story that defied time and distance.
When two hearts are separated by vast oceans, uncertainty looms. But when war enters the picture, survival becomes the ultimate priority. For Lucy and George, the challenges they faced meant that minor concerns like insecurity and jealousy faded into the background.
Despite being torn apart by the ravages of World War II, their love thrived through the power of letters. The miles between them ceased to matter as their words kept them connected. After the war, they were reunited, married, and built a beautiful family in Australia.
Fifty years later, Karen Lamb uncovered a treasure trove of 24 letters exchanged between her grandparents, Lucy and George, during the war. These letters, along with their extraordinary love story, were later published in Lamb's book Love Has No Boundaries: A True Love Story of WWII.
5. Herman Allen and Hedvig Johnson: A love story born from the chaos of war.
alexskopjeShutterstockSpies in love—it's a plot that could easily fuel an action-packed romance film. But for Herman Allen and Hedvig Johnson, this is a true story. 1st Lt. Allen, a World War II bomber pilot, was forced to land in neutral Sweden. There, he began working for the Office of Strategic Services, the U.S. intelligence agency during the war, where he crossed paths with the stunning secretary, Hedvig Johnson.
Their professional relationship quickly blossomed into something more, and what followed became a story that would inspire a book written by Pat DiGeorge, the daughter of Herman and Hedvig.
Sal and Loretta's story began during World War II when Sal, a 19-year-old radio operator aboard the U.S.S. Signet, corresponded regularly with his 16-year-old girlfriend, Loretta, a stenographer. Their letters chronicled both their daily lives and differences, from personal debates over music to heartfelt reconciliations. As the war wound down, so did their correspondence, leaving the end of their romance shrouded in mystery.
In 1943, Sal was a 19-year-old radio operator on the U.S.S. Signet, stationed during World War II. He sent frequent letters to his sweetheart, Loretta, a 16-year-old stenographer. Their letters were filled with discussions about their hometowns, playful arguments about music, and heartfelt moments of reconciliation. As the war came to an end, their communication tapered off, leaving their love story unfinished.
The love letters between Sal and Loretta are at the heart of Laura Lynn Ashworth's book, Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack: Love and Adventure on a WWII Minesweeper. Ashworth discovered 170 letters exchanged between the young couple while helping a family member with Veterans Administration paperwork. Their poignant story captures the challenges of love during wartime, and their letters reveal an intimate side of life on the homefront.
Airman Robert Bozdech and his German Shepherd puppy, 'Antis,' shared a bond forged during wartime, showcasing the deep connection between soldiers and their pets during World War II.
The bond between an airman and his German Shepherd is a tale that could rival many great love stories in its depth and loyalty.
During a reconnaissance mission, Czech airman Robert Bozdech found himself stranded in no man’s land between French and German forces. Taking refuge in an abandoned farmhouse, he encountered a German Shepherd puppy, whom he named Antis. Though it seemed wiser to leave the pup behind—its barking could jeopardize his escape—Robert's connection to the dog defied such logic.
Robert concealed Antis in his flight jacket and made his way toward the French forces. From that moment onward, the pair was inseparable, embarking on approximately 30 missions together. Antis became the mascot for Royal Air Force 311 Squadron. After the war, they settled in the UK where Robert became a citizen. Robert passed away in 1951, followed by Antis two years later.
2. George Mendonsa and Greta Zimmer Friedman
One iconic image from the end of World War II is the photograph of a sailor and a nurse sharing a passionate kiss in the midst of Times Square in New York City. While the image is full of romantic energy, the truth behind it is more complicated: George Mendonsa and Greta Zimmer Friedman were complete strangers to one another.
On August 14, 1945, George was filled with joy as he celebrated Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. In an exuberant moment, he grabbed dental assistant Greta, dipped her, and kissed her on the lips. While the kiss was fleeting, the iconic photograph of the event became a lasting symbol of the war’s conclusion, leading many to associate it with an eternal love story.
Though the kiss was immortalized in a photo, George went on to marry his girlfriend from the time of the photo in 1946, and they had two children. Their marriage lasted until George’s passing in 2019 at the age of 95. Greta, meanwhile, married another WWII veteran in 1956 and passed away in 2016.
In 1980, George and Greta reconnected and kept in touch sporadically. Reflecting on the kiss years later, Greta commented: “It wasn’t much of a kiss. It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn’t a romantic event.”
1. Harry Leslie Smith and Friede Edelmann
Harry Leslie Smith, known as the world’s oldest rebel before his death in 2018, was always a fighter—joining the Royal Air Force in 1941 and later becoming a political activist. However, when it came to Friede Edelmann, he was a soft and gentle man.
After the war ended, Harry and his unit were stationed in Hamburg, Germany. There was a strict military rule forbidding soldiers from interacting with the locals, particularly the women. However, Harry, ever the rebel, broke this rule—and more—by falling in love with Friede, a German girl he referred to as his 'destiny.'
Despite being told that a romance between a British soldier and a German woman would never succeed, Harry’s rebellious spirit triumphed. He and Friede remained together until her passing in 1999.
