James J. Kilroy was from Massachusetts. He was a shipyard 
inspector at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, MA.  Kilroy was 
a checker or inspector at the ship yard and it was his job to go around 
and count the number of holes a riveter had filled.  At this time the 
riveters were on piece work and got paid so much for each rivet.  Due to 
issues of some dishonest riveters getting paid twice for the work they 
had performed, Kilroy started marking each counted area with "Kilroy Was 
Here" so the off shift inspectors did not count the same rivets.

In 1946 the American Transit Association, through its radio program, 
"Speak to America," sponsored a nationwide contest to find the real 
Kilroy Was Here.  James J. Kilroy of Halifax, MA was the winner.
(1) source of James J. Kilroys story is the September 1970 issue of 
"Yankee" magazine.  If you have any other questions you would like to 
discuss about the real Kilroy Was Here, do not hesitate to drop me a 
line.

Best Regards,
Robert E. Kilroy Jr.  (Grandson of James J. Kilroy)