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Nuclear Weapons of the Atomic AgeGerry Newhouse, who served as a Marine in Viet Nam, was working as a realtor in Columbus, Ohio when he learned the Post Office and the Clinton Administration had decided not to release a stamp depicting an atomic blast. It distressed him enough that he decided to create nonpostage Protest Stamps that were similar to the one the Post Office had rescinded. Toward that end, local artist Robert Littlehale came up with a design (below), and they had a New York City printer make 50 sheets with 36 stamps per sheet. Gerry used his Protest Stamps on his personal and business outgoing mail. His sales agents and secretary also used them. Because the Protest Stamps were not legitimate postage, they always made sure to use a real postage stamp along with the Protest Stamps. He even sent a letter to President Clinton saying he felt it was wrong to rescind the atomic-bomb stamp, and he enclosed a sheet of his own stamps for the president%u2019s use%u2014but never received a reply.Unbeknownst to Gerry, someone gave James Prichard, an Associated Press writer, an envelope with one of his Protest Stamps on it. James was intrigued, and contacted Gerry about writing an article, which was featured in newspapers across the country. Suddenly Gerry was deluged with requests for his Protest Stamps. The same day the AP article came out, Gerry received a call from Ron Kaplan, who was an aviation artist specializing in painting WWII-era art on flight jackets, and was a member of the American Society of Aviation Artists. Because Gerry wasn%u2019t The original Gary Newhouse ProtestStamp, designed by Robert Littlehouse, which was not sold to the public.totally satisfied with his stamp%u2019s original artwork, he and Ron formed a business partnership to create a more refined two-color design. When that new design was ready, they had 2,000 sheets printed, but the stamps popularity was such that more would be needed.Newhouse and Kaplan said their Protest Stamp had nothing to do with the morality of using the atomic bomb against Japan. In a Linn%u2019s Stamp News article, Kaplan said he had yet to read, %u201cone feasible excuse from these purported historians for their wanton revision of our history.%u201d According to Newhouse, %u201cMy statement had nothing to do with whether it was right or wrong to use the bomb, but rather with history and the importance of remembering the past.%u201d He added, %u201cI have a serious problem with an American president (Clinton) who directs our Postal Service to share this %u2018selective amnesia%u2019 that seems to have infested those who should know better.%u201d Serendipitously, soon after joining forces with Ron, Gerry received a call from Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Paul had also read the AP article, liked the Protest Stamp, and lived only 4 mile from Gerry%u2019s house, so they made plans to meet for lunch. Over the next few weeks they met several times and got to know each other. One day Paul asked if Gerry if he would be interested in being his business manager. He also wanted Gerry to revise and republish his book, The Tibbets Story. Gerry said he%u2019d need a little time to think it over. After talking the proposal over with his wife, Gerry quit the realestate business, and worked with Tibbets for more than 8 years. As they traveled across the country together for appearances and book signings, they formed a long-term friendship which lasted until Tibbets death in 2007.The Newhouse/Kaplan Protest Stamps were proclaimed the Official Protest Labels of the Enola Gay restoration Committee, and of the 509th Bomb Group. The pair also sold T-shirts, lapel pins, paperweights, and other objects featuring their Protest-Stamp design. Besides individuals, they shipped stamps to veteran associations, museum gift shops, and stamp collectors. Newhouse/Kaplan Protest Stamp, 1995