U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 31

WASHINGTON, May 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

MONDAY, MAY 31: MEMORIAL DAY

Profile America — Monday, May 31st.  Today is Memorial Day, looked on as the start of the summer season, and a time for family gatherings and sporting events.  But the true meaning of the day is underlined by the continuing sacrifices made by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The first official observance of Memorial Day was on May 30, 1868, ordered by General John Logan, when flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.  From the Civil War through Vietnam, some 566,000 U.S. service personnel died in combat, more than half of them in World War II.  Across the U.S., there are just under 23 million veterans of the armed forces.  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. 300

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 510

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004-2005, t. 506, 507

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