Vehicles of all descriptions speed past Western Indian Ministries and Hilltop Christian School on Highway 264, also known as the Code Talker Memorial Highway. Just past the mission, the highway enters the town of Window Rock, Arizona, which is the capital of the Navajo Nation. Just a few minutes north of the Code Talker Memorial Highway is a towering sandstone formation called the Window Rock, home of the Navajo Veteran’s Memorial Park. It is a small, solemn park dedicated to all Navajo war veterans, but in particular to the Code Talkers of WWII.
The history of the Code Talkers is very interesting. It all began in 1942 with a WWI veteran named Phillip Johnston whose parents were missionaries on the Navajo Reservation. After reading an article about the Army’s use of Native American soldiers as signalmen, he realized the Navajo language might be used as a military code. He was fluent in Navajo and knew that it was unlike any other tribal language. Amazingly enough, it turned out to be understood by fewer than thirty non-Navajos in the early 1940s and was not a written language at that time.
The history of the Code Talkers is very interesting. It all began in 1942 with a WWI veteran named Phillip Johnston whose parents were missionaries on the Navajo Reservation. After reading an article about the Army’s use of Native American soldiers as signalmen, he realized the Navajo language might be used as a military code. He was fluent in Navajo and knew that it was unlike any other tribal language. Amazingly enough, it turned out to be understood by fewer than thirty non-Navajos in the early 1940s and was not a written language at that time.
 Code Talkers Memorial at Window Rock |
Johnston convinced a major in the Marines of the value of his idea and over the next month the code-talking program gained momentum. Shortly thereafter the Marines authorized the recruitment of twenty-nine Navajos for communications work and formed the 382nd Platoon for the Navajo specialists.
These 29 men created the initial code, which grew to 411 terms during the course of the war and an alphabet system using Navajo words. The Navajo language had no military terminology, so most of the code used familiar objects, animals, and ideas known to the Navajo, instilling them with military meaning. The code was genius in its simplicity.
The Navajo Code Talkers’ primary job was to transmit tactical information, orders, and other vital battlefield information via telegraph and radio. The Japanese never broke the code. It saved countless lives. The Code Talker program was highly classified and remained that way until 1968. Code Talkers returning from WWII were not welcomed home by parades and were, in fact, not allowed to speak of their duties as Code Talkers. But in 1982, President Ronald Reagan declared August 14 as National Code Talkers Day. In 2000, the ‘Honoring the Navajo Code Talkers Act’ was signed into law, and by 2001 the Navajo Code Talkers were honored with Gold and Silver Congressional Medals.
On August 14th, the annual celebration for Navajo Code Talker’s Day was held at Veteran’s Memorial Park under the shadow of the mighty Window Rock. Only nine Navajo Code Talkers remain. (There were several classes of Code Talkers.) They are the indisputable evidence of the history that surrounds the Navajo people of this generation and a testimonial of the bravery of this Native American tribe. They are evidence of how God works things for good. You will enjoy doing more research of your own on the Code Talkers.
