Full Breakdown
Navajo Code Talkers Day Commemoration Highlights Legacy and Ongoing Efforts
8/15/2026, 2:00:54 AM
The Ceremony Honoring the Last Survivors
A gathering in Phoenix marked Navajo Code Talkers Day with speeches, music, and the presence of the two remaining veterans, 101-year-old Thomas H. Begay and Peter MacDonald. Begay traveled eight hours from the Navajo Nation to the Arizona State Capitol, arriving in a wheelchair and wearing a cap adorned with Code Talker pins. Descendants, members of the San Carlos Apache Veterans Association, and other tribal representatives attended, displaying photographs and memorabilia of the World War II veterans.
Historical Background of the Navajo Code Talkers
During World II the U.S. Marine Corps recruited more than 400 Navajo men (1942-1945) to develop a code based on their unwritten language. The code enabled the transmission of thousands of confidential messages about battle plans and troop movements, a capability that Japanese forces never deciphered. The program remained classified until 1968; in 1971 President Richard Nixon sent a letter of appreciation to the Navajo Tribal Council, and in 1982 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed a National Navajo Code Talkers Day, honoring the Navajo and other Native American veterans who served as Code Talkers. The National Museum of the American Indian notes that members of at least 20 tribes participated in code-talking programs across both world wars, and more than 40,000 Native American men and women served in the U.S. armed forces during World II.
Data and Statistics
- Recruitment: Over 400 Navajo Marines enlisted for the code-talking program.
- Messages: Thousands of secret communications were sent between 1942 and 1945.
- Tribal Participation: At least 20 tribes contributed Code Talkers, including the Choctaw, Chippewa, Creek, Sioux, and Comanche (the latter took part in the D-Day invasion).
- Overall Service: More than 40,000 Native American service members served in World II.
Official Statements & Responses
President Ronald Reagan’s 1982 proclamation established a National Navajo Code Talkers Day, recognizing the Navajo and other tribal contributions. President Richard Nixon’s 1971 letter of appreciation to the Navajo Tribal Council further acknowledged the veterans’ service. After the Defense Department removed webpages honoring women and minority veterans following an executive order from President Donald Trump, the Pentagon later restored the Navajo Code Talker material, stating the removal was erroneous.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The U.S. was being defeated. Without that code, that war could have been different,” — Dawn Manuelito
- “It just makes your blood boil.” — Laura Tohe
What’s Next
New Mexico officials announced a $20 million investment to build a museum dedicated to the Navajo Code Talkers in Farmington. The effort aims to create a permanent venue for preserving the Code Talkers’ legacy, a goal that has previously stalled on the Navajo Nation itself.
*Photographic record:* A 2020 photograph shows Peter MacDonald at his home on the Navajo reservation in Tuba City, Arizona (April 28, 2020).
