US Coast Guard fatigue uniform hat worn by Lieutenant Merle J. Smith Jr.
date: label: Date
content: 1960-1975
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Anvil Knitwear, Inc., founded 1876
label: Worn by
content: CMDR Merle J. Smith Jr., American, died 2021
label: Subject of
content: United States Coast Guard, American, founded 1790
notes: label: Caption
content: Commander Merle J. Smith, Jr. became the first African American graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1966. While serving in Vietnam as a cutter commander, Smith became the first African American to command a U.S. warship in close-quarters combat and was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in 1969.
label: Description
content: A green camouflage fatigue uniform hat worn by United States Coast Guard Lt. Merle J. Smith, Jr. The hat has a wide, flat brim with four metal ventilation grommets in the crown, with vertical stitching pattern around the side and an adjustable chin strap.
place: label: Place used
content: Viet Nam, Asia
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Military Uniforms
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Merle J. Smith, Jr.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2014.32.3.3
objectType: label: Type
content: uniforms
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: cotton (textile) , thread , plastic and metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 13 × 9 3/4 × 10 3/4 in. (33 × 24.8 × 27.3 cm)