Great Collaborations: Code Talkers
The story of code talkers is a significant account of collaboration and bravery that played a crucial role in the victories of World Wars I and II. The idea of using Native American languages for military communication began in World War I when a captain in the 142nd Infantry Regiment noticed two Choctaw soldiers speaking their language and recognized its potential for secure communication. This led to the formation of the Choctaw Telephone Squad. In World War II, the practice expanded as the U.S. Army started recruiting code talkers from various tribes in 1940. In 1942, Philip Johnston suggested to the Marine Corps that Navajos could provide secure communications, leading to the recruitment of 29 Navajo men who developed a code based on their complex, unwritten language.
The development of the code talker system involved military officials and Native American servicemen working together to create two types of codes: a Type 1 Code consisting of 26 Navajo terms representing individual English letters, and a Type 2 Code that included direct translations and a dictionary of terms for military concepts. This process required creativity and cultural knowledge; for example, since there was no Navajo word for "submarine," they used "best-lo" (iron fish). The code talker program also included at least 14 other Native nations besides the Navajo, such as Cherokee, Comanche, Choctaw, Hopi, and Meskwaki, each developing unique codes based on their languages.
In the field, code talkers worked in pairs, with one person operating radio equipment while the other relayed and received messages, translating between their Native language and English. This teamwork was crucial for rapid communication; Navajo code talkers could translate three lines of English in about 20 seconds, compared to the 30 minutes needed by code-breaking machines. The collaboration of code talkers significantly contributed to Allied victories as they served in all major Marine operations in the Pacific theater and were present at key battles like D-Day and Iwo Jima. At Iwo Jima, six Navajo Code Talkers transmitted over 800 messages without error during the month-long battle.
Despite their essential role, the work of code talkers remained classified until 1968. It wasn't until 2001 that Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to Navajo and other code talkers, recognizing their efforts and sacrifices. The story of code talkers highlights the importance of collaboration across cultures and the contributions of Native Americans to the Allied war effort.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — John Kinsel Sr., one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages during World War II based on the tribe’s native language, has died. He was 107. https://apnews.com/article/navajo-code-talkers-word-war-ii-5f527f43eebaede11eb86f7bdad27a39
