Original U.S. Post-WWII Okinawa “The Island That God Forgot” Painted Female M41 Jacket with Girls, Tiger, & Dragon - Clarence Betty, 8102nd Service Detachment - Dated 1949-1950

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendous hand-painted Woman’s M41 Field jacket worn by a member of the 8102nd Service Transportation Detachment, which was stationed at the Port of Naha on the Island of Okinawa, during 1949-1950. The jacket is designed similarly to an Ike Jacket with the sleeves longer than the jacket itself. This was during a tumultuous time for the people of Okinawa, as detailed in a November 28th, 1949 TIME Article titled “OKINAWA: Forgotten Island”:

“For the past four years, poor, typhoon-swept Okinawa has dangled at what bitter Army men call “the logistical end of the line,” and some of its commanders have been lax and inefficient. More than 15,000 U.S. troops, whose morale and discipline have probably been worse than that of any U.S. force in the world, have policed 600,000 natives who live in hopeless poverty. When a typhoon (dubbed “Gloria” by meteorologists) swept the island last summer and caused widespread damage, the Army finally investigated the situation. The island’s command was shaken up. Recreational facilities consisted of a few broken-down movie shacks and football fields. Okinawa had become a dumping ground for Army misfits and rejects from more comfortable posts. In the six months ending last September, U.S. soldiers committed an appalling number of crimes—29 murders, 18 rape cases, 16 robberies, 33 assaults.”

This is detailed on the jacket itself, which is painted to the back with the phrase “THE ISLAND THAT GOD FOR FORGOT”, but the G in forgot was originally placed too far off and so the artist had to leave in the “FOR” and rewrite “FORGOT”.

The front of the jacket bears a painted dragon on the right breast, a tiger on the left breast, and two women in bikinis on the sleeves. Parallel to the slit pockets are the names CLARENCE BETTY. Whether this was a soldier’s name, a female’s name, or two names of a couple, we cannot say. The front of the jacket has a three button closure with a zipper behind it. The CROWN zipper still works fine but is worn. There is a tag under the collar that is now entirely washed out.

The rear of the jacket is painted at the top with the aforementioned quote over OKINAWA over a depiction of Okinawa with a dragon and woman in a bikini in the foreground. To the left and right are the years 1949 and 1950. Below this is a painted yellow loop pattern on the band and below this is the painted unit designation:

8102TH SV DET.

This denotes the 8102nd Service Transportation Detachment, but as this was likely painted by an Okinawa native, they used TH instead of ND following the number.

There is heavy wear to the paint overall, most so on the painted motif to the back. The jacket is in overall great condition and does show good service wear, so this was certainly worn in Okinawa during this period, likely with the paint as well. 

This is a very tremendous painted M41 jacket converted into an Ike style jacket, ready for further research and display.

Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 22”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15"
Chest width: 17”
Waist: 15"
Front length: 22"