FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Allen Dale June, Code Talker ~ 09 April 2018

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Allen Dale June

           

From July 6, 2006

DRAPER -- Retired Marine Sgt. Allen Dale June, 84, doesn't say much about his experience as a Navajo Code Talker in World War II.

During an appearance Wednesday at the Utah National Guard headquarters, a child asked June if he had ever been in a submarine.

"I saw it," was all June replied, which was followed by chuckles among the estimated 150 audience members, most of whom were wearing camouflage.

Sgt. 1st Class Sam Galbraith, 54, and his son, Sgt. Joe Galbraith, 26, both of whom are Navajo and full-time Utah Guard members, were introduced to June. The elder Galbraith called it an honor and privilege to meet him.

"It's very meaningful to me," Sam Galbraith said.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Daniel Hudson dubbed June a "living legend." But for 23 years after World War II, June and others from the 29 original members of the Navajo Code Talkers were told to keep quiet about their experience, for national security reasons.

"This was a tremendous stress and strain on them," said Hudson, who gave Guard members a presentation Wednesday on Code Talkers.

By 1968, government officials had lifted the curtain of secrecy to reveal the war contributions of this elite group of American Indian soldiers, which included at least one other tribe. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan named Aug. 14 "National Code Talkers Day."

Charles Chibitty, the sole surviving member of the 17-member Comanche Code Talkers, was given the Knowlton Award in 1999, in recognition of his intelligence work in the Army Signal Corps in Europe during World War II.

President Bush in 2001 presented June and other Navajo Code Talkers with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award given by Congress. But to this day, June chooses to remain mostly silent on his war experiences.

June and his wife, Virginia, once West Valley City residents, now live in Longmont, Colo., north of Denver. Virginia does most of the talking for her husband.

"He was quiet," she said about the 23 years of imposed silence. And he's quiet now, she added, describing life these days as "smooth sailing."

The Junes walk about three to five miles every day. They make appearances when asked. And they were in Utah this week to help dedicate a war monument in West Jordan.

During the war, June was part of a group that helped the United States win the "war of words" with the Japanese. Code Talkers used their native language to communicate messages between U.S. troops.

The Navajo word for tortoise, for example, would have been used to identify the presence of an enemy tank. A single word with different voice inflections could have been used to mean several different things to a Code Talker.

It was a code unbreakable by the Japanese, although they tried.

June served uninjured in the Marines from 1942 to 1945. It was a time when in this country, Navajo Indians were sometimes punished for speaking their native language.

Virginia said her husband joined the Marines because there was nothing to do on the reservation. But he also wanted to serve his country and represent his tribe.

In the military, June and other Navajo Indians faced marked cultural differences and bigotry within their own ranks, Hudson pointed out. Even so, June's ability to speak what his wife says is now a dying language helped Marines stay a step ahead of the enemy on the battlefield in Japan.

Today, June is one of two Navajo Code Talkers still alive. The other, Samuel Tso, lives in Arizona (passed May 9, 2012).

"I just think it's great to teach people about what happened," Joe Galbraith said about June's appearance. "It's unfortunate there's not more Code Talkers around."

~ Stephen Speckman

 

On September 10, 2010 Mr. June passed away at the age of 91.  From the AP story:

June, who attained the rank of sergeant, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 along with other members of the original Code Talkers.

With his death, only two of the 29 are still living.

"The Navajo Nation lost a great warrior," Tribal Council Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan said in a statement. "His unique service to his country brought positive attention to the Navajo Nation. He will be missed."

June first tried to sign up for the Marines in his hometown of Kaibeto on the Navajo Nation, but a recruiter told him he was too young. He then traveled to the reservation town of Chinle to enlist — because he figured people there wouldn't recognize him — and he could lie about his age and forge his father's signature, Virginia June said.

Our nation mourns a hero.

From Wikipedia:

A Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress and is, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Presidential Citizens Medal the highest civilian award in the United States. The decoration is awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States. American citizenship is not a requirement.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[radu]

YEOWY! That’s a huge change! I didn’t know it had cooled off that much overnight.
Insane!

I was surprised to see it was up to 51 here because it didn’t feel much better than yesterday. If the sun had been shining it would have helped, but it was cloudy all day. At least it wasn’t windy.

Still snowing at Decorah ..... and MN and at the IL eagle trio’s nest. :-(

[luvie]

Yes, I saw the snow at both nests. I had heard from a friend that MN was going to get slammed. In practically mid-April! Crazy!

[radu]

It looks like the snow is going to go all the way across. IN, OH, and WV are getting it and it’s about to move into PA and VA.

And there’s still more behind that system. *sigh*

[luvie]

That is just NUTS!! I hope it misses y’all!

[radu]

No, we won’t get any here. Too warm. Plus rain isn’t coming down much farther than KY tonight.

We’re safe from this round. WHEW!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mooch....indeed he was an American first.

[luvie]

I know that must be a huge relief! Maybe you can actually go outside tomorrow, unless the roller coaster makes a sharp turn.

Oh, wow...our temp is all the way down to 70. LOL! I can actually turn my fan off before going to sleep.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, mountainlion...good to hear it from someone who really knew.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...hope your icky weather is finally gone and you can get back to spring.

It was 51 here this afternoon,

That’s really neat that you were able to meet one of the code talkers.

[Kathy in Alaska]

The less I move around, the less I cough. Trying to rest between the dreaded chores. Like I’m almost done with laundry.

[radu]

We’ll be in the 60s tomorrow and that will be nice enough for getting outside. The next chance for us to get rain is Saturday and we are glad for the chance to dry out.
Well, Hubby isn’t quite so glad. LOL! He spent the afternoon at the garage sharpening the lawnmower blades because the yard desperately needs mowing.

Nice cool-down you’ve had tonight. Good sleeping temps!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Luv...it really is interesting reading about the job the Code Talkers did to help us during the war. And it’s amazing that the code was never broken.

[luvie]

Glad it is warmer ‘cause I know you’re tired of being indoors. Oops that hubby has to mow. Mine has already had to and has been watering like crazy to save our grass.

Think I’m going to go. It was way too early to get up this morning, and hubby bought me no-caffeine diet coke last time by accident and I have a headache. Ugh! So...see ya tomorrow!

[luvie]

It was a very clever tool to have and I hope....just in case digital stuff doesn’t work...that it could be used again. Probably has been leaked, though, huh.

[radu]

You’re way up north and we’re down south and we had the same high temp today. Go figure! LOL

The frigid weather is out of here for at least the next week. It’ll still go up and down a bit but nothing too cold. Maybe we’re through with winter at last.

An American Indian group holds pow wows every year in different [arts of the country and they held it here one year. The opening night, the had a tribute to American Indian military veterans and Thomas Begay was the keynote speaker. It was a really nice ceremony.
When I found out he was going to be there, NOTHING would have kept me away. I was fortunate to get a couple of minutes to speak with him. He’s a very nice, humble man.

[radu]

Whew, that cough has GOT to let go and give you some relief. It sure is hanging on a long time. :-(

You’re doing laundry, too, huh? Our last load is in the dryer now.

[radu]

Yep, being cooped up so much has gotten old. It’s time to get outside and putter in the flower beds and such.

This will be the third mowing. There are a few acres to mow and that’s why Hubby had to sharpen the blades today. He’d already dulled them.

Bummer about your headache. I hope it’s gone by morning.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Star. How's it going?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep tight, Luv.

[Kathy in Alaska]

It’s supposed to be 50 again tomorrow.

What a special occasion and so glad you got to talk with him a few minutes.