First day cover for the U.S.S. PENNSYLVANIA

first day of issue envelope

First day cover for the U.S.S. PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38, built 1915), battleship; front of envelope has cachet in blue and red ink featuring two cupids holding heat criss-crossed with bands that form an "X", printed on left "VALENTINE DAY/ FEBRUARY 14, 1938"; two stamps on right, top stamp features portraits of John Paul Jones on left and John Barry on right with three square-rigged vessel in the middle, printed on stamp "UNITED STATES POSTAGE/ JONES/ BARRY/ BON HOMME RICHARD LEXINGTON/ 1 ONE CENT 1", stamp on bottom features portrait of Nathan Hale, printed on stamp "UNITED STATES POSTAGE/ NATHAN HALE/ 1/2 CENT 1/2"; stamps postmarked "U.S.S./ FEB/ 14/ A.M./ 1938/ PENNSYLVANIA" and "BE MY/VALENTINE"; address sticker with handwritten correction on front "Bob E. Meeker/ [crossed out in pencil] 56 Elmwood Dr./ Mansfield, Ohio./ [handwritten in pencil] 195 Gerke Ave.,". The U.S.S. PENNSYLVANIA was severely strafed and bombed by enemy planes during the attack on Pearl Harbor, 15 men were killed (see correspondence file).