The Brief
- More than 400 Navajo Code Talkers used their native language to create an unbreakable military code that helped U.S. forces communicate securely during World War II.
- Thomas H. Begay, 101, and Peter MacDonald are the last two surviving Navajo Code Talkers, whose service remained classified until 1968.
- A gathering in Phoenix is expected Friday to commemorate the occasion, with Begay among those attending.
PHOENIX – More than 400 Navajo men were recruited by the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II to use their native language to create a military code that Japanese forces were unable to decipher.
Their work played an important role in U.S. military operations across the Pacific and helped save countless lives.
Two Navajo Code Talkers remain
Big picture view:
A gathering in Phoenix is expected Friday to commemorate the occasion, with 101-year-old Thomas H. Begay among those attending. Begay is one of only two surviving Navajo Code Talkers.…