Throwback Thursday Photo, Doughboy’s Goodbye

World War I soldier kissing a girl, 1917 (RG2841.PH000001-000028)

 

A long kiss goodbye. Today’s Throwback Thursday photograph captures an American doughboy saying goodbye to his girl in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 5, 1917.

Doughboy was slang term used for members United States Army or Marine Corp. Legend states the term originates from the millions of doughnuts female Salvation Army volunteers cooked to bring to the troops on the front lines during World War I. The term, however, has a much older history and was initially used during the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.

A popular World War I saying joked American doughboys were “kneaded” in 1914, but didn’t rise until 1917.

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