August 14 - National Navajo Code Talkers Day

August 14 is National Navajo Code Talkers Day and it is good that, as a nation, we remember and honor these hundreds of courageous men for their service to our country. On the Navajo Reservation, in Window Rock AZ, there is a statue erected in their honor with a plaque commemorating their service. I would like to share with you the words of this plaque and the names of each of the Code Talkers, but first I would like to give you some of the broader historical context that these men literally came out of.



Boarding Schools:
Indian Boarding Schools were the brainchild of an army Captain and Indian fighter named Richard Henry Pratt. The first school was named Carlisle Indian Industrial School and was opened in a deserted military base in Carlisle Pennsylvania in 1869.

"A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one. In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man."
- Captain Richard Henry Pratt

In 1893 mandatory Indian Education became law and Chester Nez, one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers, was educated in an Indian Boarding School in Fort Defiance AZ. Here are some of his words describing his boarding school experience as a child.

Snow fell softly outside the dormitory windows. Loud whispering came from two beds away. Navajo. I'd been caught speaking Navajo three days before. The Pima matron brushed my teeth with brown fels-Naptha soap. I still couldn't taste food, only the acrid, bitter taste of lye soap. Teachers at the school were encouraged to be strict and the smaller children were frequently  targeted by slaps or kicks. But the lingering taste of the soap was worse than either of those punishments.

...

The knowledge of constant danger sat lodged in the pit of my stomach like a rock. I tried by best to answer questions correctly, but never knew when a matron would strike. They watched, their dark cold eyes waiting for us to make a mistake, to do something wrong.

I was always afraid.

Chester Nez (from his book "Code Talker") 

"Indian Boarding Schools remained in operation in the United States as late as the 1990s. The number of Native American children in the boarding schools reached a peak in the 1970s, with an estimated enrollment of 60,000 in 1973. Investigations of the later twentieth century have revealed many documented cases of sexual, manual, physical and mental abuse occurring at such schools."  (Wikipedia)

Citizenship and Voting Rights:
In 1924 the US Congress passed the Indian Citizenship act which declared all non-citizens Indians born in the US to be citizens. However because voting was considered a states right, the states of Arizona and New Mexico kept Indians disenfranchised until 1948.

Thus, because the Navajo reservation is located in the Southwest, primarily within the states of Arizona and New Mexico, when the Navajo Code Talkers were serving this country, they did not even have the right to vote.

Please keep this history in mind as you read the following words:

The Legendary Navajo Code Talkers

During World War II, in the South Pacific Theater, the Japanese were extremely proficient at breaking into military radio communications and transmissions. Thus they were able to decipher U.S. Military codes. The U.S. Armed forces needed to find a secure method of communication if they were to have any chance of defeating a cleaver and intelligent foe. To counter the cleverness of the Japanese cryptographers, 29 Navajo Marines were recruited to devise a secret military code using their native language. By war's end, there were over 400 Navajo Marines serving as code talkers and the code vocabulary had doubled. So successful was this innovative code that the Marine Corps commanders credited it with saving the lives of countless American Marines and soldiers. It enabled their success engagements throughout the Pacific Theater which included the battles for Guadalcanal, Wake Island, Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Midway, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The code paved the way to early victory for the allied forces in the South Pacific. Major Howard M. Conner, 5th Marine Division Signal Officer stationed in Iwo Jima commented on the gallantry of the Navajo Code Talkers: "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would not have taken Iwo Jima."

Far from their homes, these brave young Navajo Marines served our nation with honor and dignity. The tale of their exploits remained a closely guarded secret for decades in the event that the Navajo Code Talkers unique talents would be needed again. In 1968 the Navajo code was finally declassified. In July 2001, at the National Capital Rotunda, United States President, the honorable George W. Bush, awarded the Congressional Gold Medals to the first 29 Navajo Code Talkers, their surviving spouses or children. In November 2001 at the Navajo Nation capital of Window Rock Arizona, the Congressional Silver Medals were awarded to the rest of the Navajo Code Talkers, their surviving spouses or children. Sadly, many of the Navajo Code Talkers have passed on never knowing of the honor a grateful nation has bestowed upon them. The Navajo Code Talkers will never be forgotten.

Dine' Bizaad Yee Atah Naayee' Yik'eh Deesdlii

Navajo Code Talkers

Akee, Dan

Alfred, Johnnie (or Johnny)

Allen, Perry

Anderson, Edward B.

Anthony, Franklin A.

Apache, Jimmie

Arviso, Bennie

Ashley, Regis

Augustine, John

Ayze, Lewis Franklin

Babiya, Don

Bahe, Henry Jr.

Bahe, Woody

Baldwin, Benjamin C.

Beard, Harold

Becenti, Ned D.

Becenti, Roy Lewis

Bedoni, Sidney

Begay, Carlos

Begay, Charley (or Charlie) Tsosie (or Sosie)

Begay, Charlie Y.(or H.)

Begay, E.

Begay, George K.

Begay, Henry

Begay, Jerry Claschee Jr.

Begay, Jimmie M.

Begay, Joe N.

Begay, Lee H.

Begay, Leo B.

Begay, Leonard

Begay, Notah

Begay, Paul

Begay, Roy

Begay, Samuel Hosteen Nez

Begay, Thomas H.

Begay, Walter

Begay, Walter (or Willie) Kesoli

Begay, Wilson J.

Begaye, Fleming D. Sr.

Begody, David Maize

Begody, Roger

Belinda, Wilmer

Belone, Harry Sr.

Benally, Harrison Lee

Benally, Harry

Benally, Jimmie L.

Benally, John Ashi

Benally, Johnson Delwashie

Benally, Samuel

Bennallie (or Benallalie), Jimmie D.

Bentone (or Benton), Willie Sr.

Bernard, John

Betone, Lloyd

Bia, Andrew

Billey, Wilfred E.

Billie, Ben

Billiman, Howard Jr.

Billison, Samuel

Billy, Sam Jones

Bitse, Peter John

Bitsie, Wilsie H.

Bitsoi, Delford E. (or Baldwin)

Bizard, Jesse J.

Black, Jesse

Blatchford, Paul H.

Bluehorse, David

Bowman, John Henry

Bowman, Robert

Brown, Arthur C.

Brown, Clarence Paul

Brown, Cosey Stanley

Brown, John Jr.

Brown, N.A.

Brown, Tsosie Herman

Brown, William Tully

Buck, Wilford

Burke, Bobby

Burnie, Jose Jr.

Burnside, Francis A.

Burr, Sandy

Cadman, William

Calleditto (or Calledito), Andrew

Carroll, Oscar Tsosie

Cattle Chaser, Dennis

Cayedito, Del

Cayedito, Ralph

Charley, Carson Bahe

Charlie, Sam Sr.

Chase, Frederick

Chavez, George Sr.

Chee, Guy Claus

Chee, John

Clah, Stewart

Clark, Jimmie

Claw, Thomas

Cleveland, Benjamin H.

Cleveland, Billie

Cleveland, Ned

Cody, Leslie

Cohoe, James Charles

Craig, Bob Etsitty

Crawford, Eugene Roanhorse

Crawford, Karl Kee (or Lee)

Cronemeyer, Walter

Crosby, Billy

Curley, David

Curley, Rueben

Dale, Ray

Damon, Anson Chandler

Damon, Lowell Smith

Davis, Tully

Deel, Martin Dale

Dehiya, Dan

Dennison, George H.

Dennison, Leo

Dixon, James

Dodge, Jerome Cody

Dooley, Richard

Doolie, John

Doolie, Richardson

Draper, Nelson

Draper, Teddy Sr.

Etsicitty, Kee

Etsitty, Deswood

Evans (or Evas), Harold

Foghorn, Ray

Foster, Harold Y.

Fowler, King

Francisco, Jimmy

Freeman, Edwin

Gatewood, Joseph (or Joe) Patrick

George, William M.

Gishal (or Gishall), Milton Miller

Gleason, Jimmie (or James)

Goldtooth (or Gooldtooth), Emmett

Goodluck, John V.

Goodman, Billie

Gorman, Carl Nelson

Gorman, Tom

Gray, Harvey

Grayson, Bill Lewis

Greymountain, Yazzie

Guerito, Billy Lewis

Gustine, Tully

Guy, Charles

Harding, Ben Williams (or William)

Harding, Jack W.

Hardy, Tom

Harrison, Emmett (or Tom)

Haskie, Ross

Hawthorne, Roy Orville

Haycock, Bud

Hemstreet, Leslie

Henry, Albert

Henry, Edmund Juan Sr.

Henry, Kent Carl

Hickman, Dean (or Dan) Junian

Holiday, Calvin

Holiday (or Holliday), Samuel T.

Housewood, Johnson

Housteen, Dennie

Howard, Ambrose

Hubbard, Arthur Jose

Hudson, Lewey

Hunter, Tom

Ilthma, Oscar B.

Jake, H.

James, Benjamin

James, Billy

James, George B.

Jenson, Nevy

Johle, Elliott

John, Charlie Tsihi

John, Edmund

John, Leroy

Johnny, Earl

Johnson, Deswood Remy

Johnson, Francis Taylor

Johnson, Johnnie (or Johnny)

Johnson, Peter

Johnson, Ralph

Jones, Jack

Jones, Tom H.

Jordan, David

Jose, Teddy

June, Allen Dale

June, Floyd

Keams (or Kearns), Percy

Keedah, Wilson

Kellwood, Joe (or Joseph) H.

Kescoli, Alonzo

Ketchum, Bahe

Kien, William

King, Jimmy Kelly Sr.

Kinlahcheeny, Paul

Kinsel, John Sr.

Kirk, George Harlan Sr.

Kirk, Leo

Kiyaani, Mike

Kontz, Rex T.

Lapahie, Harrison Sr.

Largo, James

Leonard, Alfred

Leroy, George (or John)

Leuppe, Edward

Little, Keith Morrison

Lopez, Tommy K.

MacDonald, Peter

Malone, Max

Malone, Rex T.

Malone, Robert

Maloney, James

Maloney, Paul Edward

Manuelito, Ben Charles

Manuelito, Ira

Manuelito, James C. Sr.

Manuelito, Johnny R.

Manuelito, Peter R.

Marianito, Frank

Mark, Robert

Martin, Matthew

Martinez, Jose

McCab+B201e, William

McCraith, Archibald

Mike, King Paul

Miles, General

Moffitt, Tom Clah

Morgan, Herbert

Morgan, Jack C.

Morgan, Ralph

Morgan, Sam

Morris, Joe

Moss, George Alfred

Multine, Oscar Phillip

Murphy, Calvin Henderson

Nagurski, Adolph (or Alolph) N.

Nahkai, James Thomas Jr.

Nakaidinae, Peter

Napa, Martin

Naswood, Johnson

Negale, Harding

Newman, Alfred K. Sr.

Nez, Arthur

Nez, Chester

Nez, Freeland

Nez, Howard Hosteen Sr.

Nez, Israel Hosteen

Nez, Jack

Nez, Sidney

Notah, Roy (or Ray)

Notah, Willie A.

O'Dell, Billy

Oliver, Lloyd

Oliver, Willard V.

Otero (or Ottero), Tom

Paddock, Layton Sr.

Pahe, Robert D.

**Palmer, Joe (originally Balmer Slowtalker)

Parrish, Paul A.

Patrick, Amos Roy

Patterson, David E.

Peaches, Alfred James

Peshlakai, Sam

Pete, Frank Danny (or Denny)

Peterson, Joe (or Jose) Sr.

Pinto, Gual (or Guy)

Pinto, John

Platero, Richard

Preston, Jimmie

Price, Joe Frederick

Price, Wilson Henry

Reed, Sam

Roanhorse, Harry C.

Sage, Andy

Sage, Denny

Salabiye, Jerry Edgar Sr.

Sandoval, Merril Leo

Sandoval, Peter Paul

Sandoval, Samuel

Sandoval, Thomas

Scott, John

Sells, John Captain

Shields, Freddie

Shorty, Dooley

Shorty, Robert Tom

Silversmith, Joe A.

Silversmith, Sammy

Singer, Oscar Jones

Singer, Richard B.

Singer, Tom

Skeet, Wilson Chee

Slinky, Richard T.

Slivers, Albert James

**Slowtalker, Balmer (later Joe Palmer)

Smiley, Arcenio

Smith, Albert

Smith, Enock

Smith, George

Smith, Raymond R.

Smith, Samuel Jesse (or Jessie) Sr.

Soce, George Bill

Sorrell, Benjamin G. Sr.

Spencer, Harry

Tabaha, Johnnie (or Johnie) Sr.

Tah, Alfred

Tah, Edward

Talley, John

Tallsalt, Bert

Thomas, Edward

Thomas, Richard Sr.

Thompson, Claire M. Sr.

Thompson, Everett (or Everitt) M.

Thompson, Francis Tso

Thompson, Frank T.

Thompson, Nelson S.

Todacheene, Carl Leo

Todacheenie, Frank Carl

Tohe, Benson

Toledo, Bill Henry

Toledo, Curtis

Toledo, Frank

Toledo, Preston

Toledo, Willie

Towne, Joseph H.

Towne, Zane

Tracy, Peter

Tso, Chester Housteen

Tso, Howard Benedict

Tso, Paul Edward

Tso, Samuel N.

Tsosie, Alfred

Tsosie, Cecil Gorman

Tsosie, Collins D.

Tsosie, David W.

Tsosie, Harry

Tsosie, Howard

Tsosie, Kenneth

Tsosie, Samuel Sr.

Tsosie, Woody B.

Upshaw, John

Upshaw, William R.

Vandever, Joe Sr.

Visalia, Buster

Wagner, Oliver

Walley, Robert (or Roberts)

Werito, John

Whitman, Lyman Jimmie

Willeto (or Willetto), Frank (or Frankie) Chee Jr.

Williams, Alex

Williams, Kenneth

Willie, George Boyd

Willie, John W. Jr.

Wilson, William Dean

Woodty, Clarence Bahe (or Bahi)

Yazza, Peter

Yazza, Vincent

Yazzie, Charlie

Yazzie, Clifton

Yazzie, Daniel

Yazzie, Eddie Melvin

Yazzie, Edison Kee

Yazzie, Felix

Yazzie, Francis

Yazzie, Frank Harold

Yazzie, Harding

Yazzie (or Yazhe), Harrison A.

Yazzie, Joe Shorty

Yazzie, John

Yazzie, Justine D.

Yazzie, Lemuel Bahe

Yazzie, Ned

Yazzie, Pahe D.

Yazzie, Peter

Yazzie, Raphael D.

Yazzie, Robert H.

Yazzie, Sam

Yazzie, William

Yellowhair, Leon

Yellowhair, Stanley

Yellowman, Howard Thomas

Yoe, George Edward

Zah, Henry

(source Lapahie)

Ahe'hee' shi'chei doo shi'nali

Mark Charles