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Purple Heart Medal and Ribbon "The Purple Heart is awarded for "being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of any such enemy or opposing armed forces." Japanese American soldiers fighting in Italy were called the "Purple Heart Battalion." The combined 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team suffered 9,486 casualties and won 18,143 individual decorations for valor in battle, including a medal of honor and close to 10,000 Purple Hearts. On June 21, 2000, President Clinton awarded 21 additional medals of honor to Japanese American World War II veterans."The Nisei bought an awful big hunk of America with their blood. You're damn right those Nisei boys have a place in the American heart, now and forever." General "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell, 1945 Velvet, silk, fabric, leather, wood, metal. Box: L 16.0, W, 8.0 T 3.5 cm; medal: L 4.0, W 3.5 cm; ribbon: L 3.5, W 3.5 cm; ribbon: L 7.0, W 1.0 cm Manzanar National Historic Site, MANZ 5179 (Medal), MANZ 5184 (Ribbon), MANZ 5185 (Ribbon) |