US #3187e
1999 Korean War – Celebrate the Century (1950s)
• Part of the sixth sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Recalls the Korean War
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: May 26, 1999... more
US #3187e
1999 Korean War – Celebrate the Century (1950s)
• Part of the sixth sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Recalls the Korean War
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: May 26, 1999
First Day City: Springfield, Massachusetts
Quantity Issued: 188,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.5
Tagging: Block Tagging
Why the stamp was issued: To honor all Americans who died fighting during the Korean War.
About the stamp design: Pictures artwork by Dean Ellis of US infantry patrolling on a cold and snowy day. Includes the following text on the back: “The Korean War (1950-1953), the first major United Nations military action, claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Americans. US and other UN forces fought to oppose the invasion of South Korea by Communist troops.”
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, the hometown of Dr. Seuss.
About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.
History the stamp represents: The Korean War was the first war in which a world organization, the United Nations, played a military role. The conflict presented a challenge to the UN, which had come into existence just five years before the war began.
After World War II, Korea was divided into two countries, with the 38th parallel serving as the boundary line. Soviet troops occupied North Korea, and American forces, South Korea. In 1947, the UN declared that a vote should be held to elect one government for all of Korea, but Russia refused to allow elections. In 1948, North and South Korea established governments, each claiming the entire country under their rule. By 1949, US troops had withdrawn from South Korea. The Communists believed the time was right for military action, and on June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel and attacked South Korea.
More than three years of fierce fighting raged back and forth. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, changed hands four times. In June of 1951, the Soviet delegate to the UN proposed a cease-fire. Truce talks began the next month, and the fighting ended on July 27, 1953. The UN had achieved all its objectives in Korea, and to many the Korean War proved that Communist aggression could be contained without using atomic weapons.
Less 
