Today, we think of memes as funny social media pictures, videos, and trends that go viral online. We conjure images and actions that large portions of the Internet can view without any words and possibly any context and fully understand the meaning. It’s almost like modern-day hieroglyphs in a way – pictures that tell us things words may not be available for. Before we all started misspelling the common name for a Shiba Inu by adding an extra “e,” however, Kilroy was here helping the soldiers of World War II communicate through graffiti.Suggested read: From Green Army Men to LEGO: An Overview of U.S. Military Toys

Kilroy Was Here Meaning

Maybe it was first invented in World War I under the markings known as “Foo was here” left by the Royal Australian Air Force. Perhaps it came from the signature of James J. Kilroy, a real ship inspector who was known to sign the boats he inspected. Even Adolph Hitler believed Kilroy to be the work of a high-level spy. While the origin of Kilroy was here tags continue to be debated, American troops often left it behind and saw it throughout the Second World War. The meaning of Kilroy was here was simple; it was a show of pride throughout the American Armed Forces. When storming a beach, taking over an objective point, or liberating a town, seeing “Kilroy was here” and its accompanying cartoon, known as “Mr. Chad” or “Chad” for short, showed that the Americans and their allies could win the war and conquer anything. “What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on the last wall of the universe,” said American author William Faulker. Kilroy was here transcends the battlefield and is an encouraging sign of overcoming adversity and finding the lighter side of life no matter how bad things may be.

Kilroy Was Here in Popular Culture

• One of the first mainstream references to the graffiti comes from Kilroy Was Here, the movie by Monogram Pictures. Here, the film follows protagonist John J. Kilroy and his daily attempts to avoid jokes at his expense at all costs.
• Styx’s Kilroy Was Here, a rock opera album released in 1983 known for the hit “Mr. Roboto,” used the graffiti’s namesake to defy the backlash against music at the time.
• Recently, another movie was created and gifted a similar name. If you want to view Kevin Smith’s 2022 comedy-horror flick named KillRoy Was Here, you’re going to have to hold a Kilroy was here NFT. Good luck, though, as there are only 5,555 NFTs available.
• Veterans and pranksters alike have been known to adorn their bodies with a Kilroy was here tattoo from time to time. Fun fact, Bradley Cooper wears one for his role in A Star Is Born.

From a fun Easter egg in video games like Call of Duty to remaining as one of the best Veteran memes on social media sites, the Kilroy meme is still making a statement.

Homage Through Humor: The Kilroy Was Here WW2 Memorial

Kilroy was here origin will never fully be laid to rest, as many of the Veterans who served during WW2 sadly are. One of the best examples of the artwork, however, is a tribute to those who served during the Second World War. If you travel to Washington, D.C., today, you may find yourself paying respect at the Washington World War II Memorial. It may not be the main attraction, but then again, the graffiti always did have a knack of finding itself everywhere American GIs could be found. So, it makes perfect sense that in an effort to honor our troops, the same tag that has found its way throughout Europe, in Asia, and even at one point, in Stalin’s bathroom, has found its way to the memorial site of many American heroes. A unique piece of history, Kilroy was here will always be remembered and present. If you do find yourself in the area, be sure to say thank you to the Veterans who served during WWII, and feel free to find the meme as you do. Read next:4 Tips For Veterans When People Start to Ask About Your War Experience