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

first day cover

PHILATELY
Cuba, Guantanamo Bay; USA, MA, Athol
1939-01-18
paper
overall: 3-5/8 x 6-1/2 in.

First day cover for the U.S.S. VESTAL (AR-4, built 1909), repair ship; front of envelope has cachet in green ink with USN shield in upper left, USN shield with crossed anchors behind on upper right, stars in lower left and lower right, profile of an unidentified navy ship in the center; printed above and below ship "HONORING/ A GREAT NAVY"; stamp on right features portraits of Andrew Jackson and Winfield Scott on either side of Jackson's home, The Hermitage, printed on stamp "UNITED STATES/ POSTAGE/ JACKSON SCOTT/ THE HERMITAGE/ 2 TWO CENTS 2"; stamp postmarked "U.S.S./ A.M./ JAN/ 18/ 1939/ VESTAL" and "GUANTANAMO/ BAY CUBA."; address stamped on front "Harry A. Stockwell/ 53 Traverse St.. Athol, Mass".; logo stamped on back features unidentified navy ship with globe behind it, anchor in lower left, wheel in lower right, chain forms border, printed "MEMBER No. 25/ UNIVERSAL SHIP/ CANCELLATION SOCIETY/ M. B. OWENS"; handwritten on back "T3R FC-BBB" and "10". The U.S.S. VESTAL was hit by two bombs during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was grounded by her captain (see correspondence file).

2007.25.46