Navajo Code Talkers
Using American Indians who were fluent in both traditional tribal languages and English to foil enemy eavesdropping began in World War-I with the Choctaw Telephone Squad. In World War-II the US military formally developed a policy to recruit and train American Indians to become code talkers.
The Navajo (or Diné) code talkers were among at least 14 other Native nations, including the Cherokee and Comanche, that served as code talkers in both the Pacific and Europe during the war.
The US Army was the first branch to begin recruiting code talkers in 1940. Other branches, such as the US Marines and Navy, followed a few years later.
Mick sends us the amazing story of John Kinsel, Sr.
WWII Navajo ‘code talker’ turns 106: How these Marines’ special language changed military capabilities
National WWII Museum research historian Jason Dawsey explains why code talkers were ‘vital’ to war victory
By Angelica Stabile
Navajo code talker John Kinsel, Sr. celebrated a major milestone earlier this year — his 106th birthday.
Who were the World War II Navajo Code Talkers?
During World War II, the U.S. Marines selected a group of Navajo men who created an impenetrable code based on the “complex, unwritten Navajo language” according to Intelligence.gov. They became known as the Navajo Code Talkers.
“The code primarily used word association by assigning a Navajo word to key phrases and military tactics,” that site notes, adding that the system “enabled the Code Talkers to translate three lines of English in 20 seconds, not 30 minutes as was common with existing code-breaking machines.”
Kinsel is “certainly someone whose service and life is known,” New Orleans-based National WWII Museum’s research historian Jason Dawsey told Fox News Digital in an interview.
“What I want Americans to know about patriots like John Kinsel is … that people like [him] stood up during World War II and provided the most amazing contributions to the U.S. war effort in the Pacific,” he also said.
The WWII veteran rang in his special day on Jan. 22 in his hometown of Lukachukai, Arizona, with about 30 family members and friends, according to the Navajo Times.
Greatest generation. Happy birthday, Marine.
Thanks, Mick.
Ahéhee'(thank you) for posting this.
There were some codetalkers in Europe, but not this guy.
Yep. He got right to work right after Hitler bombed the Hindenberg over Nacho Grande.
Semper Fi and Happy Belated Birthday Greetings to you, Good Sir. Wonder if Nick Cage sent this Hero a gift?
SALUTE! :saluting:
baa hózhǫ́ǫgo niʼdizhchį́, Grandfather.
A youtful SGT D dated the granddaughter of a codetalker long ago. Amazing man, just didn’t seem to like me much. I assumed he didn’t like his granddaughter dating a white man. Nope. Didn’t like me because I wasn’t a Marine.
That seems reasonable
Yep, Didn’t want to see her pregnant out of wedlock.
While the Navajo get most of the publicity, they aren’t the only tribes. The US Mint has 18 Bronze Medals honoring 18 bands/tribes/nations codetalkers on their web site.
Search Results – US Mint Catalog Online
Search Results – US Mint Catalog Online
Actually there are 32 (hit the load more button at the bottom). I noted several ones not listed in the YOU MAY LIKE THIS ALSO, when I checked prices.
Yep I caught that pg 2 existed after I posted.