On January 23, 1968, U.S. Patent No. 3,364,616, issued to Samuel Speers on a Toy Deep Sea Diver Outfit:

This outfit was for GI Joe, which Speers also designed.

Speers began working for Hassenfeld Brothers in 1960. He was quickly put in charge of product development for GI Joe who he patented (U.S. Patent No. 3,277,602) a few years earlier in 1966:

In 1969 after several hits including GI Joe and Mr. Potatohead, Hassenfeld Brothers rebranded as Hasbro, and Speers was an integral part of their success.