US Coast Guard Dinner Dress Blue Jacket worn by Commander Merle Smith Jr.
- Medium
- wool (textile) with leather, metal, thread and plastic
- Genre
- Uniforms
Styles
Tags
militaryVietnam War, 1961-1975Clothing and dress
About
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.