WW2 Heroes:

Navajo Code Talkers of US Marine Corps

August 14 is a day to celebrate and honor the Native Americans who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II as Navajo Code Talkers. The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific Theater from 1942-1945, and their code was never broken.

The Navajo language—highly complex and at that point, mostly an unwritten language—had no military phrases. The original 29 Navajo Code Talkers created a radio code comprised of words selected from the Navajo language and applied to military phrases.

Their contributions were critical to our victory in World War II—but were largely unknown until the program was declassified in 1968.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan declared August 14 National Navajo Code Talkers Day. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded the original code talkers with the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2001, President George W. Bush presented medals to the four surviving code talkers at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

Please join us in celebrating these incredible heroes and their unique contribution to our military history!

Paralyzed Veterans of America

1-800-555-9140 / pva.org

PVA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization.