Navajo Code Talkers from WWII to be honored

Navajo Code Talkers from WWII to be honored

The last four living Navajo Code Talkers will receive the prestigious American Spirit Award at The National WWII Museum’s 2022 American Spirit Awards. This recognition is being bestowed upon US Marine Corps/Army Veteran Thomas Begay, and US Marine Corps Veterans John Kinsel Sr., Peter Macdonald, and Samuel Sandoval, for their tremendous bravery, skill and ingenuity while transmitting sensitive information on key battlefields across the world, expediting the end of World War II and, undoubtedly, saving the lives of many.

Once made up of hundreds of individuals, the Navajo Code Talkers used their indigenous language to transmit, receive, and decode covert communications faster and with more accuracy than any other form of military communication at the time. They were present at some of the most pivotal battles in the Pacific war, including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Peleliu, and Iwo Jima. Given their critical position, they were frequent targets, yet they carried out their assignments with astounding efficiency and accuracy.

The National WWII Museum will host the award gala on-site in New Orleans on June 9-10. In addition to the American Spirit Award, the museum will recognize recipients of the American Spirit Medallion, Silver Service Medallion and Billy Michal Student Leadership Award, and to celebrate the lasting legacy of the WWII generation.

About Navajo Code Talkers

During the war, the US military employed Native American code talkers to transmit, receive, and decode covert communications. Their code remained unbroken through the end of the war, however, despite their heroic contributions, the Navajo Code Talkers were forced to keep their wartime role a secret. In 2001, the Navajo Code Talkers finally received the Congressional Medal of Honor, and annually on August 14, the nation celebrates Navajo Code Talkers Day. Only four Navajo Code Talkers remain alive today which include:

Peter Macdonald, US Marine Corps Veteran: Peter MacDonald enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 15. After training alongside other Code Talkers at Camp Pendleton, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Division and served in the South Pacific and North China. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal and served as the Chairman of the Navajo Nation where he was re-elected to office four times—unprecedented in Navajo history. He continues to lecture across the country and serves as President of the Navajo Code Talkers Association.
Samuel Sandoval, US Marine Corps Veteran: Samuel Sandoval enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 21. Sandoval served in the South Pacific, seeing combat in the campaigns on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Peleliu, and Okinawa. Sandoval’s life story and role as a Code Talker are portrayed in the 2012 documentary Naz Bah Ei Bijei: The Heart of a Warrior.
Thomas Begay, US Marine Corps/Army Veteran: Thomas Begay enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 16 years old. Begay was one of 33 Navajo Code Talkers assigned to the renowned 5th Marine Division Signal Company and in the Radio Section of the H&S Company, 27th Marines. Along with his fellow Code Talkers, Begay played an essential role in the Battle of Iwo Jima, sending and receiving more than 800 messages without error.
John Kinsel Sr., US Marine Corps Veteran: Born on a Navajo reservation near Lukachukai, Arizona, John Kinsel Sr. joined the Marine Corps at 21. He was assigned to the 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division and saw combat in Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima, where he was wounded.

The post Navajo Code Talkers from WWII to be honored first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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