"My weapon was my language," World War IIMarine veteran Joe Morris Sr. told a crowd of nearly 200 in a San Bernardino park on Veterans Day in 2004. "We saved a lot of lives." Morris, one of the Navajo code talkers whose use of their native language in transmitting messages successfully thwarted Japanese code breakers in the Pacific during World War II, died July 17 at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda of complications from a stroke, said his daughter, Colleen Anderson. He was 85." Obituary: Joe Morris Sr. dies at 85; Navajo code talker during World War II - latimes.com
Having grown up in Arizona, these guys mean a little more to me, I guess. I recall when they were pushing designs for our state quarter, I voted for the code talker design.:mourn::flag_USAcryingeagle
What great Americans the code talkers were, coming from humble reservation living to serve this country so strategically with their unique language and what a great legacy they have left inspiring so many from the Rez and elsewhere to continue serving our country in our current wars. I marvel at how quiet they were in post war years until the 1980's when they were finally allowed to speak about their service work. I think of them each time I go by Fort Wingate Army Depot on I-40 where they first assembled. There is not much active memory of the fort as it is still in a decommissioning mode until no one knows when.
Rest in Peace to some great warriors, I have a Soldier who is Navajo and his grandfather and some other relatives where code talkers, great to hear him speak his language too.
My father was 11th A/B in the Pacific and told me about the code talkers. I know it was men like Mr. Morris that helped to bring a lot of boys home. Old Soldiers Never Die.
