It was during the early eighties, when I first heard about the Code Talkers. Captivated by what I heard, I began to seek more information regarding these fascinating heroes. Information was scarce back then, but I never gave up my search. Thanks to the World Wide Web, I was able to confiscate enough information to satisfy my burning curiosity. It is now that I am able to pay tribute to these men. The Code Talkers are a group of Native American men from various tribes that fought in World War I and World War II. Their unique involvements in the two wars were not known until their mission was declassified in 1968.
It was during the closing days of World War I that the Choctaw Code Talkers were first initiated. Fourteen Choctaw men in the Army�s Thirty-Sixth Division were trained to use their native language. They helped the American Expeditionary Force win several key battles in the Meuse-Agronne campaign in France. Eight of these men were serving in the same battalion. At this time, the German Army was �breaking� the American�s code. Captain Lawrence, commander of one of the companies, overheard two of the Choctaw men conversing in their native language. He then told his commanding officer about an idea he had and The Code Talkers came into existence. At least one man was placed in each field company headquarters. They translated messages by field telephone into the Choctaw language and wrote field orders that was carried by �runners� between the various companies. The German army could not decipher these messages and the battle was turned. The rest is history. The Choctaws are the first Native Americans to use their native language as an unbreakable code
The fourteen Choctaw Code Talkers are:
Albert Billy
Mitchell Bobb
Victor Brown
Ben Caterby
James Edwards
Tobias Frazer
Ben Hampton
Solomon Louis
Pete Maytubby
Jeff Nelson
Joseph Oklahombi
Robert Taylor
Calvin Wilson
Walter Veach
Because of the success of the Choctaw Code Talkers, this program was again implemented during World War II. The Navajo Code Talkers' Program was established in September 1942. In May 1942, the first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside California. Recruiters had visited the Navajo reservation and selected the first 30 code talkers, one dropped out, leaving 29 to start the program. This first group created the Navajo code. They developed a dictionary and numerous words for military terms. The dictionary and all code words had to be memorized during training. Two of the original 29 remained behind to become instructors for future Navajo Code Talkers and the others were sent to Guadalcanal. Major Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division signal officer said, �Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.� He had 6 Navajo Code Talkers working around the clock, during the first two days; sending, coding and decoding a total of 800 messages without any errors. The Navajo Code Talkers are the most recognized of all The Code Talkers because of a movie, Windtalkers. The Navajo Code Talkers played a large role During World War II, like the Choctaw Code Talkers, they had created a code where the enemy was unable to decipher. On July of 2001, the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers were given the Gold Congressional Medal of Honor in Washington, DC. In November 2001, the other 420 Navajo Code Talkers were given the Silver Congressional Medal of Honor in Window Rock, AZ.
In fact, there are about 17 various tribes that were Code Talkers. At this time, the Navajo Code Talkers are the only recognized group and the only ones that were awarded medals. The 17 various tribes that were Code Talkers are: Choctaw, Comanche, Cheyenne, Cherokee, Osage, Yankton Sioux, Chippewa, Creek, Hopi, Kiowa, Menominee, Muscogee-Seminole, Navajo, Oneida, Pawnee, Sac and Fox, and the Sioux from the Lakota and Dakota dialects. I will add their individual names and their contributions as I acquire more information regarding their efforts. Please come back often, as I will make updates accordingly.
Leona M. Mars