SOUVENIR PLATE BLOCK OF 10 STAMPS WITH A DETAILED MAP PANEL AS PICTURED. ~ On May 31 1993 in Washington DC, the USPS issued its third commemorative sheet, marking the 50th anniversary of World War II. Following the chronology of the war, these 10 stamps recall key events that took place in America's third year as a participant in the war. A map entitled "1943: Turning the Tide" uses text, arrows, and color shading to pinpoint the war's theaters of operations and historical World War II events, such as the Allied invasion of Sicily, the U.S. assault on Tarawa, and the Allied invasion of Italy. Two more sheets are scheduled to appear in the upcoming years to correspond with the war years of 1944 and 1945. Significant non-combat events from 1943 are also featured to reflect how the war affected American life as well as the rest of the world. Gold Stars, V-mail that delivered messages from home, and bonds and stamps that funded the war effort became part of the American fabric during the challenging days of World War II. The World War II commemorative sheets were the result of nine years of comprehensive planning by military historians and advisory committees.