America 250: Code Talkers

The Navajo Code Talkers' language became an unbreakable code, crucial for American victory in WWII.

The Code Talkers were Native American servicemen from more than 20 tribes who used their languages to send secure military messages that enemy forces could not decipher. They served in both World War I and World War II. During World War II, more than 500 Native Americans were trained as Code Talkers, including about 400 Navajo Marines who served in the Pacific. The Marine Corps relied heavily on Navajo speakers to transmit critical battlefield communications quickly and accurately. Their work was vital in major battles across the Pacific, including Iwo Jima. A Marine signal officer later said that without the Navajo Code Talkers, the Marines might not have taken Iwo Jima.