We were about to begin this article with, “you know the feeling,” but many of us fortunately don’t.
Shipping off to battle is quite possibly the bravest thing one can do with the time they’re given on planet Earth, but right up there with them in the bravery department are the families waiting impatiently at home.
They try going about their daily lives as normal, but their minds and emotions have a constant pull to their distant loved ones.
So rarely are these goodbyes captured on film, but as a reminder of their sacrifices, we tracked down these 28 emotional wartime send-offs.
1
WWI
A French soldier says goodbye
2
The Korean War
A Goodbye Kiss in Los Angeles (Sept. 6, 1950)
3
Deployment To Egypt (1963)
American Soldiers Getting One Last Kiss On The Ship
4
WWII
A farewell to departing troops.
5
WWII
Soldiers Departing For Egypt Lean Out Of Their Windows To Kiss Their Loved Ones (1935)
6
WWII
A goodbye at Penn Station in 1943.
7
WWI
A german soldier says goodbye (1917)
8
WWII
A tearful goodbye at Penn Station in 1943.
9
A Tender Goodbye
US Soldier Kisses His Girlfriend Before Departing for WWI (1922).
10
Helping Hands
Soldiers help a girl say goodbye to her boyfriend (1940)
11
Deployed to Egypt
A Member Of The 1st Battalion Of The Manchester Regiment Before The Unit Ships Out.
12
Canadian Soldiers in WWI
Kissing Lovers Goodbye in Toronto (1914).
13
Departing Friends
Emotional goodbye before deployment to Afghanistan.
14
The War in Vietnam
Denton Crocker reads to his young siblings before shipping off to Vietnam (September 1965).
15
One Last Hug
A National Guard member say goodbye to family and friends.
16
Bye, Mommy!
Idaho National Guard say goodbye to their families during a deployment ceremony in Boise (Nov. 5, 2021)
17
The Gulf War
A Florida Reserve soldier says an emotional goodbye to his family before leaving for the Gulf War.
18
A Tearful Goodbye
An American soldier says goodbye to his sons.
19
Daddy, don't go.
A tearful daughter says goodbye to her dad.
20
WW2
A soldier says good bye to his wife and newborn at Penn Station (1943).
21
An Emotional Goodbye
An American soldier says goodbye to his infant daughter.
22
The War in Ukraine
Andrew saying goodbye to his partner Yarina before boarding a train to Dnipro, Ukraine to help with the war efforts.
23
Ukraine
A Ukrainian soldier says goodbye
24
Good Boy
A dog waits for his goodbye in Washington (1942)
25
WWI
David J. Castleman says goodbye to his mother in 1917.
26
WWI
A British soldier says goodbye in 1917.
27
WWI
A concerned mother looks to her young son before deployment (1917).
28
Thoughts Racing
A loving hug at Penn Station (1943).
