thedrifter
04-18-08, 05:40 AM
Navajo Code Talker speaks to Winnacunnet Warriors
Navajos helped U.S. end WWII
By Patrick Cronin
pcronin@seacoastonline.com
April 18, 2008 6:00 AM
An American hero who was one of the 29 original Navajo Code Talkers during World War II shared his story Wednesday morning with Warrior nation.
Chester Nez, 87, told students at Winnacunnet High School about how he and others developed the code based on the Navajo language that helped the U.S. and the Allies defeat the Axis powers.
"I was glad to serve my people and my country as a Navajo Code Talker," Nez said. "It is one of the most beautiful things I have done."
The story of the 29 young Navajo radio operators who were told to come up with an unbreakable code based on their language in order to speed up communication during the war was depicted in the 2002 movie "Windtalkers" staring Nicolas Cage.
Nez said he was recruited to join the Marines in 1942 but at the time he didn't know why.
"I decided to go and see what it's all about," Nez said.
After finishing boot camp, Nez said he and other code talkers selected soon found out they were going to be part of highly classified, top-secret mission that wouldn't be declassified until 1968.
Nez recalled how they were brought to a camp in California where they were told to develop a code that would not be broken by the Japanese.
Maj. David Flores said the military picked the Navajo language because at the time it was an unwritten language, very complex and extremely difficult to decipher.
The idea of using Navajos for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke the language fluently, Flores said.
Nez said they came up with a code by using mostly Navajo words for animals, sea creatures and different kinds of birds.
"The Japanese tried to break down the code as did the Germans, but they never did," Nez said.
The Navajo word for "eggs" became "bombs," "chicken hawk" became "dive bomber" and the word "whale" meant "submarine." The code for America was "ne-heh-mah," the Navajo word for "mother."
"It took us 13 weeks to develop the code and we spent a lot of time in the field, day and night, memorizing it," Nez said.
Nez said they used the code during some of the most violent conflicts of the war.
Stationed on the front lines of battle, the code talkers translated radio-transmitted orders issued from the code talkers at command posts. They also used the code to send information on tactics, troop movements, orders and other vital battlefield information.
"They were a secret weapon for the U.S. Marines," Flores said. "And they saved thousands and thousands of lives."
The code is believed to have played major part in the taking of Iwo Jima in February 1945.
At the time, Maj. Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division signal officer, said of Iwo Jima, "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima ... Six Navajos worked around the clock during the first two days of the battle, sending and receiving over 800 messages, all without error."
After the war, Nez said he returned home, finished his education, eventually attended the University of Kansas. It was only after President George W. Bush awarded the original code talkers a Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 that Nez and other Navajos began speaking nationwide on their service.
One student asked if the movie "Windtalkers" was an accurate depiction of their service. The movie tells the story of Marine bodyguard, played by Cage, assigned to protect one of the code talkers and, if necessary, kill them in order to protect the code from falling into enemy hands.
Nez said he was never aware of having a bodyguard and that he never heard of an instance when a Marine had to kill a code talker to protect the code.
"I don't think it ever happened," Nez said.
Another student asked Nez to demonstrate the code, which he did, while another asked if ever got to meet the enemy later in life.
Nez's trip to Winnacunnet was sponsored by the Salem High School MCJROTC and the Disabled American Veterans Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter No. 240, North Shore Community College and Harvard University.
Ellie
Navajos helped U.S. end WWII
By Patrick Cronin
pcronin@seacoastonline.com
April 18, 2008 6:00 AM
An American hero who was one of the 29 original Navajo Code Talkers during World War II shared his story Wednesday morning with Warrior nation.
Chester Nez, 87, told students at Winnacunnet High School about how he and others developed the code based on the Navajo language that helped the U.S. and the Allies defeat the Axis powers.
"I was glad to serve my people and my country as a Navajo Code Talker," Nez said. "It is one of the most beautiful things I have done."
The story of the 29 young Navajo radio operators who were told to come up with an unbreakable code based on their language in order to speed up communication during the war was depicted in the 2002 movie "Windtalkers" staring Nicolas Cage.
Nez said he was recruited to join the Marines in 1942 but at the time he didn't know why.
"I decided to go and see what it's all about," Nez said.
After finishing boot camp, Nez said he and other code talkers selected soon found out they were going to be part of highly classified, top-secret mission that wouldn't be declassified until 1968.
Nez recalled how they were brought to a camp in California where they were told to develop a code that would not be broken by the Japanese.
Maj. David Flores said the military picked the Navajo language because at the time it was an unwritten language, very complex and extremely difficult to decipher.
The idea of using Navajos for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke the language fluently, Flores said.
Nez said they came up with a code by using mostly Navajo words for animals, sea creatures and different kinds of birds.
"The Japanese tried to break down the code as did the Germans, but they never did," Nez said.
The Navajo word for "eggs" became "bombs," "chicken hawk" became "dive bomber" and the word "whale" meant "submarine." The code for America was "ne-heh-mah," the Navajo word for "mother."
"It took us 13 weeks to develop the code and we spent a lot of time in the field, day and night, memorizing it," Nez said.
Nez said they used the code during some of the most violent conflicts of the war.
Stationed on the front lines of battle, the code talkers translated radio-transmitted orders issued from the code talkers at command posts. They also used the code to send information on tactics, troop movements, orders and other vital battlefield information.
"They were a secret weapon for the U.S. Marines," Flores said. "And they saved thousands and thousands of lives."
The code is believed to have played major part in the taking of Iwo Jima in February 1945.
At the time, Maj. Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division signal officer, said of Iwo Jima, "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima ... Six Navajos worked around the clock during the first two days of the battle, sending and receiving over 800 messages, all without error."
After the war, Nez said he returned home, finished his education, eventually attended the University of Kansas. It was only after President George W. Bush awarded the original code talkers a Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 that Nez and other Navajos began speaking nationwide on their service.
One student asked if the movie "Windtalkers" was an accurate depiction of their service. The movie tells the story of Marine bodyguard, played by Cage, assigned to protect one of the code talkers and, if necessary, kill them in order to protect the code from falling into enemy hands.
Nez said he was never aware of having a bodyguard and that he never heard of an instance when a Marine had to kill a code talker to protect the code.
"I don't think it ever happened," Nez said.
Another student asked Nez to demonstrate the code, which he did, while another asked if ever got to meet the enemy later in life.
Nez's trip to Winnacunnet was sponsored by the Salem High School MCJROTC and the Disabled American Veterans Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter No. 240, North Shore Community College and Harvard University.
Ellie