First day cover for the U.S.S. WEST VIRGINIA

first day cover

PHILATELY
USA, CA, San Francisco; USA, CA, Monterey
1943-02-23
paper
overall: 3-1/4 x 6-1/2 in.

First day cover for the U.S.S. WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48, built 1921), battleship; front of envelope has cachet in green, features profile of several ships underway, printed on left "THE UNITED STATES NAVY"; no stamp on right, handwritten in place of stamp "FREE"; postmarked "U.S./ FEB/ 23/ A.M./ 1943/ NAVY"; handwritten return address in upper left "J. B. Tindell, S. F. 1/c/ USS West Virginia/ c/o Fleet P. O./ San Francisco, Calif."; address handwritten lower right "Pvt. Andrew A. Christensen/ Co. 'C' S.C.U. 1930/ Presidio of Monterey,/ California"; stamp and signature from navy censor "PASSED BY/ NAVY CENSOR"; stamped on back "802211". The U.S.S. WEST VIRGINIA was sunk by six torpedoes and two bombs during the attack on Pearl harbor, later refloated (see correspondence file).

2007.25.48