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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
USS O'Brien Keel Laying Commemorative Cover
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

USS O'Brien Keel Laying Commemorative Cover

Object numberMO 1953.73
Maker (American physician and cachet maker, 1893 - 1959)
Date1938
Mediumpaper, ink
Dimensionsoverall H 3 5/8 in x W 6 1/2 in (9.2 cm x 16.5 cm )

DescriptionA stamp cover commemorating the 1938 keel laying of the U.S. Navy destroyer, USS O’BRIEN (DD-415). On the left side of the envelope is a blue, red, and orange stamped cachet consisting of a small illustration of a Navy ship with text above and below that reads: “★ ★ [American flag] ★ ★ / UNITED STATES NAVY / ‘THE BACK-BONE OF A SHIP’ / KEEL LAID / USS O’Brien / NAVY YARD / BOSTON, MASS. / SPONSORED BY – R.C.D. 70.”

The envelope is addressed to (handwritten in red and blue ink): "The President of the United States / Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt / Washington / D.C." Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope are two U.S. stamps: a 1936 green 1¢ John Paul Jones & John Barry Navy Issue stamp (Scott 790), and a U.S. 1925 olive brown ½¢ Nathan Hale stamp (Scott 551). The envelope is postmarked Boston, Massachusetts Navy Yard Station, date unreadable.

The return address is ink stamped in blue on the reverse of the envelope: S. E. HUTNICK, M. D. / 5933 LANSDOWNE AVENUE / WEST PHILA., PA.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDonated as a bequest of Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in 1947.
Credit LineEstate of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
Collections
Non exposé