Navajo Code Talker Visits Wisconsin
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www.fcpotawatomi.com • [email protected] • 715-478-7437 • FREE POTAWATOMI TRAVELING TIMES VOLUME 18, ISSUE 18 NME BNE GISES STURGEON MONTH MARCH 15, 2013 Navajo Code Talker Visits Wisconsin by Abbey Thompson In this Issue: World War II hero Chester Nez, the last surviving member of the original Navajo code talkers, spoke before a crowd of around 1,000 people at Northland College in Ashland, Wis., on Friday, March 1. Nez was invited as part of Northland’s “Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month” events during the month of March. Tribal honor guards, veterans and other dignitaries from around the State of Wisconsin were in attendance. Representatives came from the Forest Pinewood Derby & Carnival County Potawatomi Community, Red pg. 6 Cliff, Bad River, Lac du Flambeau, Lac Courte Oreilles, Oneida and Mole Lake tribes, who participated in the opening ceremony. Songs were provided by “Soldier’s Drum” from Lac Courte Oreilles. Rusty Barber (LCO) welcomed the crowd and spoke on the importance of warriors in native culture. “In September 1939, when Germans moved in to Poland, it began a series of events end- ing six years later. Many of our grandfa- thers and fathers were involved,” he said. Brian Jones, Director of the Visiting Youth Wisconsin Department of Veteran’s pg. 7 Affairs, presented Nez with a plaque from Governor Scott Walker that read: “Chester Nez, in recognition of your contributions as a World War II Navajo Code Talker, the last of the original 29 Marines who developed the only unbro- ken code used in modern warfare. On behalf of the State of Wisconsin, we thank you for your service in World War Chester Nez, the last surviving II and for publishing your memoirs.” member of the original 29 Nez, 92, was among the original 29 Navajo code talkers. Navajo Marines who developed a code Calendar ............pg. 8 using their own language to aid the U.S. Notices ......pg. 10, 11 military during the war. The code Navajo. The alphabet used an English he said. Nez said he was shocked that remains the only unbroken code in mod- word for every letter. For instance, A = they wanted to use the Navajo language, Personals ..........pg. 11 ern warfare. The code was so highly ant (walachii in Navajo), B = bear which was forbidden at the government classified that it remained a secret until (shish), C = cat (mwasa), etc. Military boarding schools, to help the U.S. in the 1968. Nez spoke about his experience as vehicles and weapons were assigned a war. a code talker in the South Pacific at Navajo animal name; ‘fighter plane’ Nez was the perfect candidate for Guadalcanal and Guam and answered became the Navajo word for “humming- this top-secret mission. Because of the bird”, grenade became “potato”, battle- Navajo lifestyle, diet and the vast dis- PAID PAID questions asked by people in the crowd. ship “whale”. This method enabled the tances on their reservation, Navajo peo- PRSRT STD PRSRT Judith Avila, who co-authored Nez’s US POSTAGE WAUPACA, WI WAUPACA, PERMIT PERMIT NO 47 memoirs, “Code Talker: The First and code talkers to easily memorize the ple possess great physical stamina, the Only Memoir of the Original Navajo words. ability to memorize large amounts of Code Talkers of WWII”, and Nez’s Avila shared photos from Nez’s information, and willingness and ability grandson Latham Nez helped share his childhood. He grew up in Chichilitah, on to adapt to extreme conditions for sur- story. the checkerboard area of the southeast vival. Avila opened by asking the crowd Navajo reservation in northern New After boot camp at Ft. Pendleton, to imagine themselves as a young Mexico. The Navajo language was not the 29 Navajo code talkers were chosen Navajo marine on a secret mission in the written; it was passed orally through sto- and sent to Camp Elliott. Their days South Pacific. “In the beginning, three ries, ceremonies and important events in were spent working on the new code. hundred others tried out for a spot on daily life. At age nine, he was sent to the They memorized the code and repeated this top secret team, and only 29 were Tohatchi boarding school and spent time it as they made their way toward the chosen. They were told, “We need you at boarding schools until he was 18 South Pacific arena. to develop a code not even another years old. Marine recruiters came to one Nez was assigned to the 1st Marines Navajo can decipher.” of the schools, looking for Navajo men Division in the South Pacific. They were The code talkers developed an to be part of a secret mission. “I figured part of the 382nd platoon. encrypted alphabet from English to it would be better than boarding school,” continued on pg. 4... Page 2 POTAWATOMI TRAVELING TIMES • March 15, 2013 Community/Veterans Letters to a Teacher - A Warrior at War Letters from William Alloway Sent Home During World War II submitted by Norman H. Tribbett: Letters From the Kerr Family Collection This final set of letters written by without me going any deeper to explain. took eighteen (18) days to get back to Dec. 2, 1944 William Alloway during World War II Now that I’m somewhere in France I can me. Very poor service I’d say but in all are dedicated to his son, the late Edward enjoy the kind of life much better than things got to be that because there are a Dear Mr. Kerr: Alloway (1952-2012). Look for more in my last address. At that time there were great demand by all soldiers. One must Well how are you this fine morning? upcoming issues. no ways or even half way marks as to have to wait as well as the other man. I seem to be getting along just fine and what was going to happen next. Even And that is that. hope to be that all the time. Nov. 18, 1944 yet times are a little hard. You don’t Did you get my other letter that I You have asked me if I still wanted even buy anything overseas unless you had sent to you in regards to the battle the ribbons that I asked for. I real don’t Dear Mr. Kerr; have a coupon with you. If there is such star awards. I sent you that thinking that know. You see Mr. Kerr, I have asked a I just thought that I’d better write a thing that you can buy on the market you might be interested in knowing a lit- friend of mine to get me some and I another letter to you again so that you it’s too high for the billfold. So it all tle about me. Frankly I think my old unit have not seen anything of these as yet. won’t think that I have forgotten you so adds up to leaving things alone. has the most battle star awards than any So I cannot give the answer you want. soon. Therefore, this letter may serve its …I tried to get something for you other unit that’s here because I do know But, like I said before if you find it hard- purpose for your information. I am not and Elmer Sparks and there isn’t a thing one thing that these other unit have not ly possible for you to get the ribbons I trying to say that it is possible to do so. that I can find that would be satisfactory. been up where we were. I did know this won’t worry about it if I were you. I did Above all I do hope that you will enjoy But if I don’t find anything that is worth from operating radios and I got plenty really want the yellow ribbon so much reading this letter. while I am not going to worry my brains units on my radio many nights by their but it doesn’t make any difference as Well how are things getting along about it as I have plenty other things to call signs. I have also carried SOI to whether I get the ribbons at all. around home these days? Gee I do hope worry about. I hope you won’t take me give me information and I needed it How is the weather up around your that everything is still fine like I left it in wrong now thinking that you are not many times in spots. Guess that covers way? Boy, it is getting cold over here. the year forty one on my first and last worth the trouble. There are many things that subject pretty well. I should like to The nights are not too good for me. furlough. Even then things were not so that I should like to do but I find it tell you more but that would be against There isn’t much of anything else that I hot as it should have been. Oh! Well impossible. all regulations. can do to get away from this. Take it like what’s the difference anyhow. No one Well the weather is getting to the How is the hunting season this a man and let it go by. Well, that’s that. ever writes to tell about the situation... point where it is not enjoyed anymore by year? That must be swell too - out on Are you about to have a wonderful Can I be blamed for asking such foolish the soldiers. It is getting pretty cold your own time doing whatever you like Christmas and a very Happy New Year? questions not answered? But, I have my now-a-days.