Many U.S. Air Force Airmen wore unofficial "social jackets" during off-duty hours. These jackets were custom-embroidered at tailor shops in Japan or Korea. Some, like the one on display at the museum, were reversible with decorations both outside and inside the jacket.
Walter D. Reed wore this jacket while he served as the staff judge advocate of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Pusan East Air Base (designated K-9) in Korea. K-9 (which sounds like "canine" for dog) was nicknamed "Dogpatch" after the town in the L'il Abner comic strip popular at the time. The unofficial patch on the jacket shows the main characters, Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae, riding an airplane.
Reed later became the USAF judge advocate general in 1977 and retired as a major general in 1980.
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