| Deanne Durrett Author of Nonfiction books for Kids and Young Adults* *Rated Ok for Adults |
Unsung Heroes tells the story of the Navajo
Code Talkers and their code, a National Security
asset that remained classified decades after
World War II ended. It is the story of a select
group of Navajo Marines who were recruited for
special duty. They received their surprising
assignment the day they completed boot camp -
develop a code based on the Navajo language that
the Japanese cannot break.
Code Talkers and their code, a National Security
asset that remained classified decades after
World War II ended. It is the story of a select
group of Navajo Marines who were recruited for
special duty. They received their surprising
assignment the day they completed boot camp -
develop a code based on the Navajo language that
the Japanese cannot break.
1st MarDiv, Ballart, South Pacific, 7 July 1943, OFFICIAL
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO USMC
Corporal Lloyd Oliver, a Navajo Indian, operates a field
radio while attached to a Marine Artillery Regiment in the
South Pacific. Cpl. Oliver also is a sniper and a highly
regarded scout.
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO USMC
Corporal Lloyd Oliver, a Navajo Indian, operates a field
radio while attached to a Marine Artillery Regiment in the
South Pacific. Cpl. Oliver also is a sniper and a highly
regarded scout.
| Links: |
Windtalker - a movie about the Code
Talkers - opened June 2002.
Talkers - opened June 2002.
The producers of Windtalkers took a seed of information and created an
action-packed war movie. Nicolas Cage plays a troubled Marine who is assigned the
duty of protecting a Code Talker. The movie focuses on the story of the Marine
guard, his heroism and struggle with duty. The movie draws attention to the Navajo
Code Talkers who served in World War II but it sheds little light on what this select
group of Navajo marines contributed to victory in the Pacific in World War II. A Code
Talker story has yet to be portrayed on film.
action-packed war movie. Nicolas Cage plays a troubled Marine who is assigned the
duty of protecting a Code Talker. The movie focuses on the story of the Marine
guard, his heroism and struggle with duty. The movie draws attention to the Navajo
Code Talkers who served in World War II but it sheds little light on what this select
group of Navajo marines contributed to victory in the Pacific in World War II. A Code
Talker story has yet to be portrayed on film.
| Page designed and property of Deanne Durrett Copyright 2002-2008 Deanne Durrett Last update 8-27-08 |
The first 29 Navajo Code Talkers were young
men with little education. For some, it was their
first time off the reservation. They were chosen
because they each met some unique requirements
needed to protect American National Security -
they spoke a little known, very difficult language,
they were fluent in English, and they were loyal
Americans, ready to go to war for their country.
They did create an unbreakable code, plus the
Code Talkers and their code were operational by
the time the Marines landed on Guadalcanal.
They were fast. They were accurate. And, they
were darn good marines.
men with little education. For some, it was their
first time off the reservation. They were chosen
because they each met some unique requirements
needed to protect American National Security -
they spoke a little known, very difficult language,
they were fluent in English, and they were loyal
Americans, ready to go to war for their country.
They did create an unbreakable code, plus the
Code Talkers and their code were operational by
the time the Marines landed on Guadalcanal.
They were fast. They were accurate. And, they
were darn good marines.
Read about it:
Lloyd Oliver and 12 other code
talkers' narrowly escape enemy
strafing their first day on Guadalcanal.
(Unsung Heroes p.63)
Lloyd Oliver and 12 other code
talkers' narrowly escape enemy
strafing their first day on Guadalcanal.
(Unsung Heroes p.63)
| My Review of Windtalker |
| NEWS FLASH! UNSUNG HEROES, paperback edition, scheduled for release, Spring 2009 University of Nebraska Press |