U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 1

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, AUGUST 1: AMERICA MEETS THE JEEP

Profile America -- Monday, August 1st.  Appearing on this date in 1941, Parade magazine devoted three pages to what it called "the Army's most intriguing new gadget."  It was the American public's first introduction to the jeep.  While the exact origin of the name is unclear, the little truck, made by the Willys Company, proved so valuable in World War II that General Dwight Eisenhower said the U.S. could not have achieved victory without it.  In 1941, almost all light trucks not used for commercial purposes belonged to farmers.  But they gained in popularity and actually outsold cars in some years of the last decade.  By 2009, with the economic downturn in full force, cars again outsold light trucks, 5.5 million to just under 5 million.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  440 International Calendar of Events

Today in Science History

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2011, t. 1059

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau