▁Ber ing ▁( 1 6 8 1 – 1 7 4 1 ), ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁recorded ▁European ▁sight ing ▁of ▁Al aska ▁ ▁H ale ▁Bog gs ▁( 1 9 1 4 – 1 9 7 2 ), ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁from ▁Louisiana , ▁who ▁disappeared ▁on ▁a ▁flight ▁in ▁Al aska ▁along ▁with ▁fresh man ▁colle ague ▁Nick ▁Beg ich ▁while ▁helping ▁Beg ich ▁campaign ▁for ▁re e lection ▁ ▁Jackson ▁Brow ne ▁( born ▁ 1 9 4 8 ), ▁stated ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁interview ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁conce ived ▁in ▁Al aska , ▁while ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁station ed ▁there ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁military ▁ ▁Simon ▁Boliv ar ▁Buck ner , ▁Jr . ▁( 1 8 8 6 – 1 9 4 5 ), ▁military ▁commander ▁of ▁Al aska ▁early ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁Sydney ▁Chap man ▁( 1 8 8 8 – 1 9 7 0 ), ▁math ematic ian ▁and ▁ge oph ys ic ist ; ▁Ad vis ory ▁Scient ific ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Ge oph ys ical ▁Institute ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Al aska ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁until ▁his ▁death , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁largely ▁responsible ▁for ▁building ▁the ▁programs ▁and ▁reputation ▁of ▁the ▁Institute ▁in ▁its ▁early ▁years ▁ ▁James ▁Cook ▁( 1 7 2 8 – 1 7 7 9 ), ▁British ▁expl orer ▁whose ▁voy ages ▁included ▁several ▁tri ps ▁along ▁Al aska ' s ▁coast