**U.S. Navy Issues Long-Awaited Apology for 1882 Angoon Atrocity**

In a historic move, the U.S. Navy has formally apologized for a devastating attack on the Alaska Native village of Angoon, 142 years after the atrocity took place. Rear Adm. Mark Sucato delivered the apology during an emotional ceremony on October 26, the anniversary of the bombardment that decimated the Tlingit village.

"The Navy recognizes the pain and suffering inflicted upon the Tlingit people," Sucato said. "We acknowledge these wrongful actions resulted in the loss of life, resources, culture, and inflicted intergenerational trauma on these clans." The apology was livestreamed from Angoon, underscoring its significance.

The 1882 attack left the village, located in the southeastern Alaska panhandle, in ruins. Survivors endured harsh conditions, with elders reportedly sacrificing their lives to ensure food for the remaining children. Despite a 1973 settlement of $90,000 from the Department of Interior, village leaders have long sought a formal apology. Their annual remembrances always began with the question, "Is there anyone here from the Navy to apologize?"

The atrocity was part of a series of conflicts between the American military and Alaska Natives after the U.S. purchased the territory from Russia in 1867. Just last month, the Navy apologized for destroying the nearby village of Kake in 1869, and the Army plans to issue a similar apology for shelling Wrangell that same year.

Today, the village of Angoon, with its population of about 420 and surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, remains a place of rich culture and natural beauty. The community continues to honor its history while fostering an ecotourism industry, offering visitors sightings of bald eagles, humpback whales, and abundant fishing opportunities.

The exact cause of the bombardment remains a subject of differing accounts. According to the Navy, the incident began with the accidental death of a Tlingit shaman, Tith Klane, when a harpoon gun exploded on a whaling ship. The Navy claimed the Tlingit demanded 200 blankets in compensation and, when only 81 were provided, resorted to violence.

In contrast, the Tlingit version suggests no hostages were taken and denies the immediate demand for compensation. Instead, they believe village members were preparing for the shaman's funeral. Cmdr. E.C. Merriman's arrival on October 25 and subsequent demand for 400 blankets culminated in the attack after the Tlingit could only gather 81.

The Navy has chosen to defer to the Tlingit account out of respect for the community's experience. Rosita Worl of the Sealaska Heritage Institute recounted how some elders sacrificed themselves to provide more food for younger survivors that brutal winter. This family's and community's collective memory remains a poignant narrative of resilience and loss.

The announcement of the apology stunned Tlingit leaders when they learned of it during a Zoom call in May. Eunice James, a descendant of Tith Klane, expressed hope that the apology would foster healing. She expected the presence of the spirits of many ancestors at the ceremony, symbolizing a long-awaited moment of acknowledgment and remembrance.