U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 7

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 7: PURPLE HEART

Profile America -- Saturday, August 7th.  One of the nation's oldest and most recognized military decorations -- currently being awarded to many members of the U.S. Armed Forces -- was established on this date in 1782.  That's when General George Washington, at Newburgh, New York, ordered a "Badge of Military Merit" created, featuring a purple cloth heart with a silver braided edge.  Only three were known to have been awarded during the Revolutionary War.  The present day Purple Heart was revived in 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth, and recognizes those wounded in combat.  From the Civil War through Vietnam, just over 1.4 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces were wounded -- nearly half of them in World War II.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 406

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2006, t. 504

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