Vietnam POW-MIAs Are Honored at Last

The POWs and MIAs of Vietnam finally have their stamp, but alocal campaigner may not be there when the bands play and the flagsfly.

Ronald Eubank, of the Johnson Phelps Post 5220 of the Veteransof Foreign Wars in Oak Lawn, has waged a 12-year campaign for such astamp. He and vets throughout the country conducted a petitioncampaign that gathered several hundred thousand signatures asking forthe stamp.

"I haven't been formally invited to the ceremony in Washington,"he said last week. "I think I deserve a little recognition. I putin a lot of work on this."

"I'm happy they are doing something," he said. "But, it's notthe stamp I wanted."

Eubank and others had proposed a stamp with a familiarblack-and-white logo used by the National League of Families ofAmerican POW-MIAs or another design showing an American eagle inshackles, he said.

The design chosen by the post office's civilian advisorycommittee bears a pair of metal dogtags with the message "POW & MIANEVER FORGOTTEN," with an American flag in the background.

The ID tag, Postmaster General Marvin Runyon announced, is "asymbol for commemorating and remembering all our POWs and MIAs - fromthe Revolutionary War to Somalia."

Eubank pointed out that the only other United States stampmentioning POWs or MIAs was in 1970, along with another stamp for theDisabled American Veterans.

He said that North Vietnam issued a stamp in 1967 showing anAmerican serviceman being led away at gunpoint.

The Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Washington, D.C., has beenselected for the ceremony unveiling the stamp on Memorial Day, May29, when the stamps will go on sale nationwide.

More than 2,200 servicemen from the Vietnam conflict wereunaccounted for, but most of those are believed dead, according tothe official government position.

The Postal Service is waiving its licensing and royalty fees forthe official design for IRS-qualified nonprofit organizations, sothey may reproduce the image on fund-raising items such as pins,flags, cups and shirts.

Permission for use of the design can be obtained by writing:Jane Kraemer, Hamilton Projects, Inc., 215 Hamilton Avenue, New York,NY 10016-6023.

Questions about stamps or news about local stamp club meetings,shows and auctions can be sent to: Larry Finley, Stamps, ChicagoSun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611.