The Stars and Stripes military newspaper was founded in 1861, when Civil War soldiers decided to set up a daily bulletin concerning the activities of their regiment. The paper gained traction during the first and second world wars. During the latter, a 'Pacific Edition' was established in Honolulu. During the Korean war, Stars and Stripes produced two maps of the battlefield: one in 1952 serving as a geographical and tactical illustration of the conflict, and a far more elaborate one the following year, complete with the flags of the allied countries of the United Nations, the insignia of a number of American commbat units, and inset map. The present item is an example of this later, extended map.

Over the map of the Korean peninsula, on which are identified mountainous terrain, key waterways and routes between major cities, are silhouetted several military aircrafts, flying in formation. The map extends from Korea's northern border with Russia to the Korean Strait, flanked by the Yellow Sea and The Sea of Japan. Across the map, 25 red circled numbers correspond to a list of various events described in short notes on the left-hand side.

Below this central map is an inset showing a more detailed depiction of the central portion of the peninsula, highlighted on the main map in a red box. This region, which includes Seoul and the 38th parallel from Yonan and P'anmunjom to Kansong, identifies significant battle-sites by name, including the areas of the Bloody Ridge, Heartbreak Ridge, Punchbowl and Christmas Hill. This map also has notes describing significant events of the war, which correspond to the letters A to I written in red and circled on the inset map.