The Native American Code Talkers served in multiple theaters of war in both world wars. They served for love of country, adventure, economic, and other reasons. They were soldiers, marines, and sailors. They were patriots. They served as Code Talkers, saving thousands of lives by creating unique codes and baffling the enemy with secure voice communications. They served as infantryman and sailors, many earning the nation’s highest award for bravery, the Medal of Honor.
In November 2013, the Native American Code Talkers were the first group to be inducted (as a whole entity) into the NSA/CSS Cryptologic Hall of Honor. You can view their Hall of Honor entry below. The official plaque presentation took place in April 2014 at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, DC. Learn more about the plaque presentation below.
NSA graphic designers created a graphic based on guidance from the Center for Cryptologic History (that was based on their own research). The image would represent ALL Code Talkers regardless of tribe or nation. It includes the eagle feather, which is a universal symbol among Native American Nations. It represents the greatest of creatures created by the Great Spirit. On top of the eagle feather are two lightning bolts, which have been used many times in history to represent military signals and communications.
NSA/CSS Cryptologic Hall of Honor Entry for the Native American Code Talkers – 2013 (from NSA.gov)
Native American Code Talkers served in both world wars. Their frontline service, keeping U.S. tactical communications invulnerable to enemy eavesdroppers, saved thousands of American and Allied lives.
While the U.S. had adequate cryptographic systems for written communications, the only effective scrambler for voice communications was unsuited for tactical use. The code talkers provided absolute security and speed of encryption and decryption when seconds counted on the battlefield.
The first code talkers were Choctaws in World War I. In World War II, code talkers from many tribes served in the North African, European, and Pacific Theaters of Operations. Tribes known to have participated in World War II were the Assiniboine, Cherokee, Chippewa/Oneida, Choctaw, Comanche, Hopi, Kiowa, Menominee, Muskogee/Creek, Navajo, Pawnee, Sac and Fox, Sioux (Lakota and Dakota dialects). Native Americans served for many reasons ranging from patriotism and defending their land to economic and opportunity to travel. Recognition for their service has included state and local governments, the U.S. Congress, and the French Chevalier Order of Merit.
Because of their secrecy, many code talking programs were not well documented. Also, in sometimes pairs of Native Americans engaged in code talking on an ad hoc basis. For these reasons, historians may not know all the tribes that engaged in this critical task.
The induction of Native American Code Talkers into the NSA/CSS Cryptologic Hall of Honor is intended to remember all code talkers, known and unknown. Their personal bravery saved lives and enabled the success of many operations.
NSA’s custom at the Hall of Honor induction ceremony is to present a plaque to the honoree or his/her family member. As there was no single entity representing ALL Code Talkers, the chairperson of NSA’s American Indian/Alaska Native Employee Resource Group accepted the plaque until the NSA found a permanent home for it.
After some research, the NSA found that place to be the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, D.C. By direction of Congress, the NMAI maintains the names of all Native American Code Talkers and has two exhibits dedicated to the Code Talkers. When the NSA staff asked the NMAI if their director would be willing to accept and display the plaque in their museum, the answer was an enthusiastic “Yes.”
The ceremony took place in the Potomac Atrium of the NMAI (located at 4th and Independence, in Washington, DC) on April 8, 2014 at 11 a.m. The Native American Code Talkers’ HoH Family Plaque was unveiled and presented by NSA Deputy Chief of Staff Trumbull D. Soule to the NMAI Director, Mr.Kevin Gover (Pawnee).
Following remarks, there was a small, private reception following the ceremony. Some Native American customs were integrated into the ceremony. View an album of the photos from the event.
August 14th was proclaimed as National Navajo Code Talkers Day by President Ronald Reagan in 1982. In 2021, August 14th became an official Arizona state holiday – honoring the vital role these individuals played in WWII. Senator Jamescita Peshlakai sponsored the legislation, believing it was important for citizens to remember the service and bravery of these men.
Please see a list of links to articles and pages featuring further information about the Native American Code Talkers.
- Photos from the April 2014 Cryptologic Hall of Honor Ceremony for the Code Talkers – held at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)
- National Cryptologic Museum’s Virtual Navajo Code Talkers’ Exhibit via Virmuze
- Photos of special Code Talker exhibit items from the National Cryptologic Museum
- BBS News Magazine article excerpt about the World War I Choctaw Code Talkers
- Learn about Navajo Code Talker Chester Nez
- History.com article excerpt about the origination of the Code Talkers, “How Native American Code Talkers Pioneered a New Type of Military Intelligence.”
- Video on History.com’s YouTube channel – “Navajo Nation’s Secret Role in WWII/History.”