For Tarawa?
pp. 71-73 · Read in the full issue
A Million
Dollar Idea
From a Tarawa Correspondent Two years from now —in November, 1968—the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Administra tion will have a magnificent op portunity to raise some much needed revenue for the colony
by issuing a series of postage
stamps to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa.
IN that battle, which is rightly looked on as the bloodiest battle of the war, the Americans regained from the Japanese the tiny atoll islet of Betio, which is about three miles long by 600 yards wide. It cost the Americans 5,000 casualties in three or four days.
There has been a good deal of criticism in PIM from time to time about the shameful way in which some Islands governments have ex ploited the philatelists of the world with postage stamps issued on flimsy pretexts.
But no one could possibly question the ethics of a Battle of Tarawa series, and it therefore behoves the local authorities to make the most of the opportunity.
Needs Promotion
Such an issue requires the utmost preparation, planning and promotion.
There has already been some dis cussion between the GEIC Adminis tration and the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Adminis trations, who handle the production of GEIC stamps. I believe it has been suggested that triangular stamps might be considered, and it is tentatively planned to issue a series of three denominations—three cents, 10 cents and 35 cents.
If this is correct, it would be well for those concerned to think again, as no amount of juggling will enable anyone to make up a total of 25 cents, which is the current cost of an airmail letter to the United States.
Likewise, it is impossible to make the stamps add up to 15 cents, which is the cost of such letters to Australia.
Surely what is needed are stamps of three, five, 10, 15, 20 and 35 cents—a total of 88 cents, which,
Why Not A Design Competition?
strangely enough, is equal to one US dollar.
The three-cent stamp would cover seamail almost anywhere, and there would be endless permutations avail able with the others to cover postages to Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, the US and UK.
I understand that it has been sug gested that the stamp designs could incorporate: • An American assault craft. • A Japanese four-engined bomber —but from Butaritari, not Tarawa. (I believe that only one Japanese plane was seen over the battle during the whole engagement.) • Colonel Fox-Strangways, the GEIC Resident Commissioner, who landed with the third wave of Americans, hoisting the Union Jack —with the Stars and Stripes nailed on a nearby palm tree.
But are these good enough? And do the authorities realise the possi bilities of this series and are they prepared to be more vigorous about this rare opportunity for publicity?
My view is that the design of a suitable series should be thrown open to world-wide competition. Such a move would provide the initial in terest in the stamps, as all philatelic journals would publish this choice item of news. There could also be a design competition for a first day cover.
The Tarawa series could, perhaps, be designed along the lines of the series issued in Britain recently to commemorate the 900th anniversay of the Battle of Hastings, where each stamp depicted a part of the Bayeaux Tapestry.
The idea of a series of stamps giving a “sweep” picture of the Battle of Tarawa has a lot to commend it, and there are plenty of official and newsreel pictures available to provide the basis for the design.
A suitable prize for the winning designer could be a free trip to Tarawa for the 25th anniversary cele brations.
The financial rewards are potenti ally too big for this stamp idea to be treated as a matter of mere routine. The Administration must think big and fast.
Handled in the right way, the Battle of Tarawa stamps could easily gross over a million dollars—all honest and above board.