Navajo Code Talkers

Overview

(Source: 2nd Grade Bio Cards)

THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS were men of the Navajo tribe in Arizona who helped the United States Marines achieve victory in the Pacific during World War II. The Navajo language is a complex spoken language understood only by members of the Navajo tribe. The Navajo men recruited to join the Marines developed a code and dictionary of military terms from their language. They used this code to send vital military information by radio or telephone during battles. The code was never broken by the Japanese and remained a secret even after the end of the war. Code Talkers were used in every major Marine battle in the Pacific, and the men performed bravely and courageously. The Navajo Code Talkers did not receive recognition for their service until 1992, when they were honored for their patriotism at a ceremony at the Pentagon.