Located on Revillagigedo Island, so named in 1793 by Captain George Vancouver, Ketchikan is the southeasternmost city in Alaska, and, even if has only 8,050 inhabitants, is the sixth-most populous city in the state. Ketchikan's economy is based upon government services, tourism and commercial fishing. Civic boosters have dubbed the community the "Salmon Capital of the World." It has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles, found throughout the city and at four major locations.
The Ketchikan Shipyard consists of two dry-docks, and successfully launched the M/V Susitna in April 2010. A prototype ferry craft for use by Alaska's Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the Susitna is the result of planning by Admiral Jay M. Cohen, and former Navy captain Lew Madden. Dubbed E-Craft (for Expeditionary use), the Susitna will serve as the engineering and feasibility platform for a Navy vessel of approximately double the size to assist troops in landing at undeveloped beaches around the world.
About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the series Black Heritage, about which I wrote here. It depict Ernest Everett Just (1883-1941), a pioneering African-American biologist, academic and science writer. Just's primary legacy is his recognition of the fundamental role of the cell surface in the development of organisms. In his work within marine biology, cytology and parthenogenesis, he advocated the study of whole cells under normal conditions, rather than simply breaking them apart in a laboratory setting.
The second stamp,depicting willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) and forget-me-nots, the bird and the flower of the state of Alaska, are part of the series State Birds and Flowers, about which I wrote here.
The third stamp was issued on October 10, 1995, to mark the 150th birthday of the U.S. Naval Academy. The stamp, a composite image designed by Dean Ellis, features an image of the Naval Academy's 44-foot sloop Swift. The depiction of Swift is based on a photograph taken by Diane W. Olmstead. The background image of the Academy Chapel is based on a photograph taken at Sycamore Point in Eastport by Robert W. Madden.
The fourth stamp is part of the definitives series American Design (2002-2007), about which I wrote here.
The last stamp was issued in 1995 to honor POWs and MIAs. POW stands for prisoner of war, a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. MIA stands for missing in action, a casualty classification assigned to armed services personnel and other combatants who are reported missing during wartime. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted.
References
Ketchikan, Alaska - Wikipedia
Sender: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 03.03.2015
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