Ooh Rah!

Crowd gathers to honor dwindling number of Code Talkers

WINDOW ROCK

The 10th Annual Navajo Code Talker Day was a special day with over 1,000 people in attendance to honor the Navajo Code Talkers at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Window Rock on Saturday.

“This is a day of honor and reflection,” said Navajo President Russell Begaye to the attendees gathered under the big canopy provided by the Young Marines.

With a few clouds in the sky, Veteran’s Park in front of the Navajo President’s Office was filled to capacity with friends, family, veterans, supporters, politicians, and visitors who came to pay their respects to the Navajo Code Talkers.

Many of the attendees were descendants of the Code Talkers and wore gold ribbons with their Code Talker relative’s name attached.

“All we have to do is remember: Honor the code talkers,” said Peter MacDonald Sr., Code Talker and President of the Navajo Code Talkers Association.

MacDonald mentioned the history of Aug. 14, as it was the day the Empire of Japan surrendered in World War II.

It was also the day President Ronald Regan would declare National Navajo Code Talkers Day in 1982, in honor of the Code Talkers whose mission was declassified in 1968.

“They went many years without being recognized for their honorable service because their actions and the code they used were classified by the federal government,” said Council Delegate Davis Filfred (Mexican Water/Aneth/Teec Nos Pos/Tólikan/Red Mesa).

“Today we honor them,” said Filfred, who served as a U.S. Marine in the Gulf War.

With just under 20 or so Code Talkers in attendance, it was a sad reminder that their numbers will be dwindling in years to come.

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