US Coast Guard fatigue uniform jacket worn by Lieutenant Merle J. Smith Jr.
date: label: Date
content: 1969
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 fatigue uniform jacket worn by United States Coast Guard Lt. Merle J. Smith, Jr. The jacket has four pockets in the front. The sleeves are flared with buttons attached to the cuffs near the body. At the collar corners are two patches with black stitched letters. The patch on the proper right side is the last name of the wearer that reads "SMITH." The patch on the proper left side is for the coast guard and reads "U.S. COAST GUARD." Attached to the collar on either side are bars indicating this jacket is for a lieutenant junior grade. Inside the jacket are labels indicating the size and washing instructions.
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
label: Exhibition
content: A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 1, C1 053
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: 2014.32.3.1
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 (fiber) and plastic with thread
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 32 1/2 × 19 3/4 in. (82.6 × 50.2 cm)