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

first day of issue envelope

First day cover for the U.S.S. SOLACE (AH-5, built 1927), hospital ship; front of envelope has cachet in black ink, features unidentified navy ship at anchor, clouds in background, printed on left "U. S. N./ FIRST DAY POSTAL SERVICE/ NAVAL AUXILIARY/ U.S.S. SOLACE"; stamp on right features portrait of Benjamin Franklin in profile, printed on stamp "UNITED/ STATES/ POSTAGE/ BENJAMIN/ FRANKLIN/ 1/2 CENT 1/2"; stamp postmarked "U.S.S./ OCT/ 14/ P.M./ 1941/ SOLACE" and "FIRST DAY/ COVER". The U.S.S. SOLACE was undamaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor (see correspondence file).