To obtain a 300 dpi downloadable photograph of the Purple Heart Stamp, visit: www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/definitives/downloadcenter.htm

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Postal Service dedicated the new Purple Heart stamp today during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where two wounded soldiers — Army Sergeant Robert Evans and Private First Class Marcus Labadie — were awarded Purple Hearts by General Colin L. Powell (Retired).

The 41-cent Purple Heart stamp goes on sale nationally today. It is the third time the stamp has been issued.

“This stamp is an excellent way to honor the great men and women who are dedicated to serving our nation,” Powell said. “To issue this stamp a third time says a lot about how much we as Americans value the sacrifices that have paid for our freedom.”

Powell was joined by Postmaster General John E. Potter and Major General Elder Granger of the United States Army to pay honor to our nation’s military service members at the Purple Heart ceremony.

“This stamp has touched our nation and its people so deeply,” said Postmaster General John E. Potter. “It’s not only the stamp that resonates so strongly, it’s what the stamp represents.”

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Purple Heart medal. It is also the 225th anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit, the predecessor to the Purple Heart medal, which was established and awarded by General George Washington on Aug. 7, 1782.

The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to members of the U.S. military who have been wounded or killed in action. It is one of the oldest military decorations in the world and the first award made available to a common soldier.

“We are honored to be a part of the reissuing of the Purple Heart Stamp,” Granger said. “We're especially honored that Wounded Warriors and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where Purple Heart recipients are cared for daily, had the opportunity to take part in this historic occasion.”

The stamp features a photograph by Ira Wexler of a Purple Heart medal — awarded to Lieutenant Colonel James Loftus Fowler, U.S. Marines, in 1968. It was first issued on May 30, 2003, at Mount Vernon, VA. The second issuance was on May 26, 2006, at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources on the Purple Heart stamp, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.