US Coast Guard fatigue uniform pants 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 pair of green fatigue pants worn by United States Coast Guard Lt. Merle J. Smith, Jr. The pants have two pockets in front as well as two pockets on the either side of the pant legs and two rear pockets. They close with a button and zipper in front. The rear has two pockets. The waistband has cinching waist adjustments at the sides. The bottom of the pant legs are tapered with drawstrings.
place: label: Place used
content: Viet Nam, Asia
label: Place used
content: New London, New London County, Connecticut, United States, North and Central America
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: 2014.32.3.2
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) , metal and thread
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 39 3/4 × 16 1/2 in. (101 × 41.9 cm)