WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren honored the renowned legacy of the Diné Code Talkers on their special day – Navajo Code Talkers Day.
Since 1982, by proclamation of President Ronald Reagan, every August 14th has been celebrated as Navajo Code Talkers Day. This day observes the storied military service of the Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans. It recognizes their sacrifice and valor for creating an unbreakable military code using Diné Bizaad – the Navajo language – during World War II.
He paid special recognition to the three remaining Code Talkers – John Kinsel, Sr., 107, who he referred to as War Chief, Thomas Begay, 99, and Peter MacDonald, 96.
Between 1942 and 1945, more than 400 men from Diné Bikéyah joined the U.S. Marine Corps and were recruited to form a special group of radiomen because of their ability to send secure and fast classified messages coded by the Navajo language.
Code words like “wol-a-chee,” which means ant, and the letter E, which stood for “dzeh” or elk, were some of the 800 coded words that were transmitted among Navajo Code Talkers without error.
President Nygren spoke about the need to keep Diné Bizaad alive and how valuable it was during World War II.
“We call upon all citizens to celebrate the sacred Diné language as a living language for future generations of Navajo people,” he said entirely in the Navajo language. “Let us never forget the sacrifice of our Navajo Code Talkers. Without them, most of us would not be here today.”
Joining the President for the signing of the proclamation was Arizona Representative Eli Crane, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne and Lieutenant General Michael S. Cederholm, Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
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