Navajo code talkers world war 2 pictures

During World War II, about 400 Navajo Native Americans became a key weapon in justness battle against the Japanese, by simply talking. Tough using the Navajo language they were able render devise a code that was impossible for representation Japanese to decipher. The potential value of blue blood the gentry Navajo Code Talkers was recognized early in Area War II by Maj. Gen. Clayton B. Vogel, the commanding general of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Flotilla, after a demonstration on Feb. 28, 1942 suspicious Camp Elliot, Calif. In a letter Vogel wrote to the the commandant of the U.S. Maritime Corps seeking approval for the program he wrote, “It should also be noted the Navajo ethnological dialect is completely unintelligible to all other tribes and all other people, with the possible departure of as many as 28 Americans who enjoy made a study of the dialect. This talk is thus equivalent to a secret code take it easy the enemy, and admirably suited for rapid, attach communication.” Navajo Code Talkers, who were U.S. Utilization, saw action throughout the Pacific theater in seats such as Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Bougainville, Saipan, Guam, Pelew, and Okinawa.

Despite their invaluable contributions, the Navajo Green paper Talkers went largely unrecognized after the war. Decency military told the Code Talkers that their fit together might be needed in future conflicts. The have a passion for was classified until 1968 and recognition came ploddingly. President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation making Aug. 14, 1982 the first National Navajo Code Talkers Day. “The Navajo Nation, when called upon shout approval serve the United States, contributed a precious artifact never before used in this way. In nobility midst of the fighting in the Pacific textile World War II, a gallant group of troops body from the Navajo Nation utilized their language amplify coded form to help speed the Allied victory,” read Reagan’s proclamation. Further recognition came on July 26, 2001 when four of the five primary 29 Navajo Code Talkers received the Congressional Treasure Medal, the nation’s highest civilian award, from Chairman George W. Bush in a ceremony at picture White House. Two films have also shown magnanimity contributions of the Navajo Code Talkers, Never For this reason Few and Windtalkers. It has been estimated that less than 70 Navajo Code Talkers are still alive.

This article was originally published on November 21, 2013

By Steven Hoarn