WWII series

World War II 50th Anniversary

World War II was the most significant event of the 20th century.  The U.S. Postal Service began planning for the war’s 50th anniversary in 1985.  It wanted to honor the key events of the war effort as well as the various aspects of national endeavor that contributed to Allied victory.  But how to do that without producing a thousand stamps?

The answer was a series of sheetlets, one for each year of the war, that consisted of a large center map framed by five stamps on the top and five on the bottom.  Five years of commemorating World War II would yield five sheets, for a total of 50 stamps – enough for an honorable tribute and enough to accomplish Postal Service goals.

The world maps are masterpieces of thumbnail summaries.  They call attention to the major military and political developments of the year and include events not featured on the individual stamps.  Color coded for easy identification of friend and foe, they’re a year in summary at a glance. Click on any enlarged stamp (pictured beneath each sheet) to learn more about the stamp subject.

US #2559 1941: A World at War
US #2559
1941: A World at War


Burma Road
Burma Road


First Peacetime Draft
First Peacetime Draft


Lend-Lease Act
Lend-Lease Act




Atlantic Charter
Atlantic Charter


Arsenal of Democracy
Arsenal of Democracy


Reuben James Sunk
Reuben James Sunk




Civil Defense
Civil Defense


First Liberty Ship
First Liberty Ship


Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor





US Declares War
US Declares War




US #2697 1942: Into the Battle
US #2697
1942: Into the Battle


B-52s Raid Tokyo
B-52s Raid Tokyo


Rationing
Rationing


Battle of Coral Sea
Battle of Coral Sea




Corregidor Falls
Corregidor Falls to Japanese


Aleutian Islands Invaded
Aleutian Islands Invaded


Allies Decipher Enemy Codes
Allies Decipher Enemy Codes



Yorktown Lost, Midway Won
Yorktown Lost, Midway Won


Women Join War Effort
Women Join War Effort


Marines at Guadacanal
Marines at Guadacanal





Allies Land in North Africa
Allies Land in North Africa




US #2765 1943: Turning the Tide
US #2765
1943: Turning the Tide


German U-boats
German U-boats


Medics Treat the Wounded
Medics Treat the Wounded


Sicily Attacked
Sicily Attacked




B-24s Hit Refineries
B-24s Hit Refineries


V-Mail
V-Mail


Italy Invaded
Italy Invaded




Savings Bonds and Stamps
Savings Bonds and Stamps


Willie & Joe
Willie & Joe


Gold Stars
Gold Stars





Marines Assault Tarawa
Marines Assault Tarawa




US #2838 Road to Victory
US #2838
Road to Victory


Allies Retake New Guinea
Allies Retake New Guinea


B-17s on Bombing Raids
B-17s on Bombing Raids


D-Day
D-Day




Airborne Units
Airborne Units


Submarines in Pacific
Submarines in Pacific


Rome and Paris Liberated
Rome and Paris Liberated




US Troops Clear Saipan
US Troops Clear Saipan


Red Ball Express
Red Ball Express


Battle for Leyte Gulf
Battle for Leyte Gulf





Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge




US #2981 1945: Victory at Last
US #2981
1945: Victory at Last


Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima


Manilla Freed
Manilla Freed


Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa




US and Soviets Meet at Elbe
US and Soviets Meet at Elbe


Holocaust Survivors Liberated
Holocaust Survivors Liberated


Germany Surrenders
Germany Surrenders




Plight of the Refugees
Plight of the Refugees


Japan Surrenders
Japan Surrenders


Victory Celebrations
Victory Celebrations





Returning Veterans Honored
Returning Veterans Honored




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