Juli got to meet & shake hands with, one of the original Code talkers today. Sgt. Allen Dale June is one of only two alive today. One of the original 29. Only a teenager when he enlisted.
Don't know if you've seen the movie. Well worth your time. I think it's called Code wisperers.

I am always speachless and green with envy when I hear of someone who gets to meet such a great American in person. The Code Talkers are very high on my respect list. They did a great service for our country and did it even better than the Germans as thier code was never broken.

That was a good movie, and very cool to actually meet one!

Ya, pretty amazing stuff. To think they were thought to be talking in some code, and all along they were speaking their native language.

There are getting to be fewer & fewer of the WWII vets around now a days.

Congratulations on your encounter with "Living History," Rock on!

I have worked with the people of the Navajo Nation (during incipient "Pro-Dineh Voters" riot conditions, 1989), and remain good friends with those I met at that time.

Good flick, I'm sure; with one significant flaw: The code talkers were NEVER targeted for asassination upon imminence of capture; such policy ain't the Marine way. Bit of Hollywood thrown in.

Anyone visiting the Washington, DC area interested in the true and complete story of the Navajo Code Talkers might visit the National Cryptologic Museum, at nearby Fort George G. Meade, MD. Excellent display there.

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Good flick, I'm sure; with one significant flaw: The code talkers were NEVER targeted for asassination upon imminence of capture; such policy ain't the Marine way.

Thanks for the info. Tree Farmer. Makes sense that the Marines wouldn't do that.

You're welcome, Rock on!

I guess some Hollywood type had to . . . well, never mind!

Don't know if the movie explained the "code-within-a-code" I understand the Code Talkers used.

Whatever the Imperial Japanese might have been, they were neither ignorant nor stupid. SOMEWHERE, in the worldwide Japanes population, one or more linguists familiar with the Navajo language might have existed.

Thus, the Navajo language provided initial encoding for most listeners, but . . . a "word substitution" code encoded information on a second level.

Don't have any real examples, but for "tank," the Code Talkers would say, for example, the Navajo word for "tortoise;" for "enemy," "cactus thorns" (in Navajo), and so on.

Don't mean to hijack your thread, but; I met, in Ida, LA, a WWII Marine veteran who served in the same unit with Ira Hayes, the Pima Indian in the Iwo Jima flag-raising picture. This man praised Hayes' effectiveness as a warrion; and, sadly, also acknowledged Hayes' ability to consume alcohol; a detail giving his story some credibility (Ira Hayes drowned on his reservation, in one inch of water, sometime after the war).

Anyhow, I once had the opportunity to take some of my Navajo friends (and one Hopi who had married into the tribe) on a sightseeing tour or Washington, DC. They wanted to see the Marine Memorial in Arlington, a statue of the Iwo Jima flag-raising.

All my Indian visitors already knew which of the Marines represented in the sculpture was Ira Hayes, proudly pointing him out to me!

America; what a great country! Long may we wave!

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Apologizing for my long post, but I'll digress somewhat further; reporting some non- if not anti-, Politically Correct information.

When my party of "Native Americans" came to Washington, the Hopi gentleman said, "I like this town! They've got OUR team! The REDSKINS!"

The Politically Correct wisdom, of course, holds the "Redskins" name as prejorative, abusive, demeaning, etc., toward Indians, NOT a source of pride.

'Tain't the way I heard it!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tree Farmer,

Sgt. Allen Dale June's wife said he helped develope a code language. I didn't realize they had the "code within the code". It all makes sense now.
Here's an excerp from the link:

"June served in the Pacific Corridor in Division One, where all 29 men developed the code - which consisted of 200 Navajo words substituted for common military words and phrases. It was the main mode of code communication and was unwritten and unknown by the Germans and Japanese.

He worked as a code talker on the Battleship McKinley to redirect the firing line depending on where the Japanese were. June was in all seven major battles in the Pacific Corridor and crossed the equator eight times.

The Navajo code was never broken."


As for the Washington Redskins and other teams... It seems logical to name your team after something you revere. Not something you hate. The politically correct argument in this case is very weak.

I've never considered the term "Indian" derogotory. Do you know if you friends would prefer to be called Indian or Native American?

The problem that creates such an inflamative context to these terms judged as "non-PC" is that people who need someone or something to feel sorry for twist the intent as Scott points out. The entire purpose of naming your team after some thing is to instill a sense of intimidation into your opponent. How many teams do you see named the "Pink Tutu Dancers"? Now that would intimidate me if I was headed out onto the grid iron.

Sorry to further hijack the thread Scott but this is a great story in of itself and is a great history lesson and another innovative way that America has used to defeat an adversary. We need more of it.

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I've never considered the term "Indian" derogotory. Do you know if you friends would prefer to be called Indian or Native American?

Never asked, but . . . a guess, the Navajos would like to be called, "Navajo," or, Dineh (Dineh is the Navajo word for "Navajo," itself of Spanish origin); and--the Hopi would perhaps rather be known as, "Hopi."

I do not believe my friends would take offense at good-faith intent identifying them as either "Indians," or "Native Americans."

For a younger generation? Couldn't say.