Around 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the mainland invasion of Japan. The US Government didn't have to re-order any more until the year 2000. ---------- I found this in the net. ANyone know how true it is? Thanx!
I have seen that claim elsewhere on the net. But I believe they have slightly changed the Purple Heart since WWII. Although the numbers do add up. In Korea there was about 100,000 wounded and 55,000 KIA. In Vietnam there were approximately 300,000 wounded and about 47,000 KIA. Plus add to that the casualties from a number of other smaller conflicts such as the Gulf War, Invasion of Panama, Grenada, Dominican Republic, etc. and the number of other incidents such as Lebanon and Operation Eagle Claw.