News

'The finest of our people'

Code talker day: Honor and remembrance

By Terry Bowman
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK, Aug. 21, 2014

"The same language they told us not to speak in boarding school is the same language that saved us!” said Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly during his welcome to the crowd on National Navajo Code Talkers Day at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Aug. 14.

The day was established to honor the Navajo Code Talkers who served in World War II, creating a code using the Navajo language that could not be broken by Japanese.

“These men have showed the courage and gratitude to the Navajo people and for that we honor them,” said Arizona State Sen. Carlyle Begay.

New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall, Apache County Supervisor Tom White, Arizona House of Representatives Speaker Andy Tobin and Marine Maj. Gen. William T. Collins attended.

Coordinator Michael Smith said that code talker day should be a day of honor and remembrance.

“This year has been a tough year for the code talker family as well as my family,” said Smith.

Here is a slideshow from that day:

Back to top ^