Posted on 02/02/2020 5:55:16 AM PST by Impala64ssa
One of the few remaining Navajo Code Talkers who used their native language to confound the Japanese in World War II has died.
The family of Joe Vandever Sr. says he died Friday of health complications in Haystack, New Mexico. He was 96.
Tribal leaders called him a great warrior and a compassionate family man. He was among hundreds of Navajos who served in the U.S. Marine Corps transmitting messages using a code based on the Navajo language. It was never broken.
His death leaves less than a handful of Navajo Code Talkers still alive.
A good and long life. God bless his family.
I learned of the Navajo talkers as part of my hobby studying the Pacific war only a few years ago
What a terrific story. RIP hero
Ya-at-hey. May you find peace. Thank you for your service, especially in a time when many in the nation didn’t respect you.
These guys had their annual convention at MCAS Yuma when I was stationed there. I was part of the ceremony honoring them at dinner. I was able to sit down and talk to several of them afterwards. These guys were genuine American heroes, and about as down to earth and humble as anyone could be. I really feel honored that I was able to meet them. Another great memory is working the 60th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima in Wash. D.C., and getting to meet Marine vets (and several Iwo Gold Star family members) who took part in such an important moment in Marine Corps history.
I was pretty fortunate to be able to be part of both these things.
The Navahos weren’t the only Native American code talkers. Lakota people from SouthDakota were also used as code talkers during the war but were not as well known as the Navaho. The last Lakota code talkers, Clarence WolfGuts of the Rosebud Lakota died in 2010.
There were Comanche Code Talkers associated with the 45th Infantry Division in Europe, as well. One spoke to our homeschool association back in Norman, maybe 20 years ago now.
The big difference is the complexity of the Navajo-based code, which went far beyond the use of an almost-unknown language. Speakers of other Native American languages operated more ad-hoc.
Cute. Order of execution often matters.
American hero. Thank you for your contribution to the defeat of evil. RIP.
RIP.
...
Also a Navajo would not be able to decipher the message unless he was a code talker. The Japanese had a Navajo prisoner and he couldn’t figure out what they were saying, which was not pleasant for him
Yes, that was one of the most important features.
Should watch the movie “Windtalkers” with Nicholas Cage. It’s about the Navajo talkers in WW2.
Semper Fi brother Marine. Take your place in heaven; you’ve earned it.
Thank you for your service, sir. RIP
He spoke Diné bizaad but the code was gibberish to him. He laughed as he described them breaking his bones to get information. He still somehow managed to escaped the prison camp.
I danced men’s traditional and at every “pow-wow”, the American Flag enters first with their warriors .
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