Navajo Code Talkers
Mark your calendars! August 14th is the annual celebration of our nation’s Navajo Code Talkers.
Navajo Code Talkers Peter Macdonald (left) and Roy Hawthorne participated in a ceremony Nov. 10, 2010, at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. to pay tribute to veterans and to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. (U.S. Air Force photo).
Who are the Navajo Code Talkers?
A Navajo Code Talker is a name given to Native Americans who used their tribal language to send secret communications on the battlefield. The idea of using Native Americans fluent in both their traditional tribal language and English to send secret messages in battle was first put to the test in World War I with the Choctaw Telephone Squad and other Native communications experts and messengers. However, it wasn’t until World War II that the US military developed a policy to recruit and train Native American speakers to become code talkers.
The US Army was the first branch of the military that began recruiting code talkers from places like Oklahoma in 1940. Other branches, such as the US Marines and Navy, followed a few years later. The first class of 29 Navajo code talker US Marine recruits completed its training in 1942. Apart from basic training, these men had to develop and memorize a unique military code using their mostly verbal language.
Developing the Code
The first type of code they created, Type 1 code, consisted of 26 Navajo terms that stood for individual English letters that could be used to spell out a word. For instance, the Navajo word for “ant,” wo-la-chee, was used to represent the letter “a” in English.
Type 2 code contained words that could be directly translated from English into Navajo. The code talkers also developed a dictionary of 211 terms (later expanded to 411) for military words and names that didn’t originally exist in the Navajo language. For example, since there was no Navajo word for “submarine,” the code talkers agreed to use the term besh-lo, which translates to “iron fish.”
The Code in Action
Most code talkers were assigned in pairs to a military unit. During battle, one person would operate the portable radio while the second person would relay and receive messages in the Native language and translate them into English. Incredibly, their code remained unbroken through the end of the war.
The work of hundreds of code talkers was essential to Allied victory in World War II. They were at many significant battles, including at Utah Beach during the D-Day invasion in France and Iwo Jima in the Pacific. Their work was highly dangerous. Especially in the Pacific, because Japanese soldiers would deliberately target officers, medics, and radiomen. So code talkers had to keep moving as they transmitted their messages. 5th Marine Division signal officer Major Howard Connor stated, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.”
2022 American Spirit Award
The American Spirit Awards are a celebration dedicated to honoring those who inspire others through their own acts of courage, sacrifice, initiative and generosity - particularly in the areas of leadership, service to country or community, and education.
From June 9-10, 2022, the four remaining Navajo Code Talkers received the American Spirit Award. Thomas Begay, Samuel Sandoval, John Kinsel Sr., and Peter Macdonald came from all different backgrounds. Still, they joined the United States Marine Corps to serve their country. Because of their bravery and heroism, they expedited the end of World War II saving thousands of lives.
Samuel Sandoval passed away at the age of 98 in August 2022. Watch a special in honor of Sandoval’s life and service here.
John Kinsel Sr. passed away at the age of 107 in October 2024. Watch a special honor of Kinsel’s life and service here.
Click here to learn more about the Navajo Code Talkers’ astounding story.
Last update - November 8, 2024.