Code Talkers

Code Talkers are a group of 400 Navajo Marines who served in the Pacific in World War II. There are four who are still alive. At the start of the war the Marines had a great need to transmit messages by Radio without going through encryption. A son of missionaries to the Navajo suggested using native Navajo speakers to transmit messages among the Marines. At that time only about 15 non Navajo could speak the language and none from outside the US. Navajo at that time was not written down so the Japanese would have no reference to even attempt to decipher the language. First the concept was tested in 1943 and when it was found to reduce transmission for 30 minutes to 2 minutes it was decided to call for volunteers. Navajo are not just traditional but they are very patriotic. Service in the military then as now is considered a great honor and aspired to. So began the "code talkers" and they went on serve very important functions in the battles of the Mariana's, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The Japanese never were able to figure out what was going on and never broke the code. So important was the role of these soldiers that their role was not know until 1968 when the story was declassified.

More code talkers came from Chinle than any other part of the Navajo Nation. The one local man who served and is still alive is revered as well he should be by both young and old. He wears his medals proudly and is the equivilant of Tom Brady and Saregent York rolled into one.
There are many memorials to the code talkers and even a small museum dedicated to them in the Navajo capital of Window Rock. The movie "Wind Talkers" was made about them 10 years ago but is only loosely based on them as most Hollywood productions are about anything true.
The main character is a white anglo, Nicholas Cage, and Navajos have only minor supporting roles. However, the movie did bring attention to a long hidden group of very brave Americans.