First day cover for the U.S.S. ST. LOUIS

first day cover

First day cover for the U.S.S. ST. LOUIS (CL-49, built 1938), light cruiser; front of envelope has no cachet, printed on bottom left "FIRST DAY IN/ COMMISSION", stamp on right features portrait of Benjamin Franklin in profile, printed on stamp "UNITED/ STATES/ POSTAGE/ BENJAMIN/ FRANKLIN/ 1/2 CENT 1/2"; stamp has three postmarks "U.S.S. ST. LOUIS/ MAY/ 19/ 1939/ REGISTERED", "U.S.S. ST. LOUIS/ MAY/ 19/ 1939/ PARCEL POST", and "NEW YORK [illegible]/ MAY/ 19/ 1939/ M.O.B." The U.S.S. ST. LOUIS shot down three enemy planes during the attack on Pearl Harbor (see correspondence file).