[国会记录157卷，第187（周三，2011年12月7日）] [家] [网页H8252-H8258]尊敬纳瓦霍族健谈扬声器临时（Reed先生）。在议长2011年1月5日宣布的政策，来自亚利桑那州（Gosar先生）的绅士被认定为一小时的剩余部分作为多数党领袖的指派。GOSAR先生。议长先生，谢谢你今天晚上加入我谈一个非常特殊的一群老兵，纳瓦霍守则谈话人。今晚，我和我的同事将分享他们的故事，并强调这组战士的惊人成绩。他们对二战期间盟军的努力贡献得到了广泛的获胜硫磺岛战役，使太平洋大满贯收益计入。二战期间的最初几个月，日本情报专家打破了每个代码的美军设计。日本人能够轻松解码和拦截通信。为了解决这个问题，日益复杂的代码已开始，有时花了数小时的时间只是破译一条消息。瓜达尔卡纳尔岛在1942年是为盟军部队，谁认识到，军事通信需要一个新的方向，新的灵感的一个转折点。 Fortunately, an innovative citizen named Philip Johnston had the answer. As the son of a Protestant missionary, Johnston had grown up on the Navajo reservation and was one of less than 30 non-Navajos fluent in the unique Navajo language. He realized that since it had no alphabet and was almost impossible to master without early exposure, the Navajo language was a perfect choice to form a new, impenetrable military code. In 1942, Johnston completed an impressive demonstration of the Navajo language to the Commanding General of the Pacific fleet headquartered in San Diego. He was then given permission to begin a pilot for the Navajo Code Talker program, and I would like to submit his letter dated March 8, 1942, for the Record. Headquarters, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, Camp Elliott, San Diego, CA, March 6, 1942 Subject: Enlistment of Navaho Indians. To: The Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps. Enclosures: (A) Brochure by Mr. Philip Johnston, with maps. (B) Messages used in demonstration. 1. Mr. Philip Johnston of Los Angeles recently offered his services to this force to demonstrate the use of Indians for the transmission of messages by telephone and voice-radio. His offer was accepted and the demonstration was held for the Commanding General and his staff. 2. The demonstration was interesting and successful. Messages were transmitted and received almost verbatim. In conducting the demonstration messages were written by a member of the staff and handed to the Indian; he would transmit the message in his tribal dialect and the Indian on the other end would write them down in English. The text of messages as written and received are enclosed. The Indians do not have many military terms in their dialect so it was necessary to give than a few minutes, before the demonstration, to improvise words for dive-bombing, anti-tank gun, etc. 3. Mr. Johnston stated that the Navaho is the only tribe in the United States that has not been infested with German students during the past twenty years. These Germans, studying the various tribal dialects under the guise of art students, anthropologists, etc., have undoubtedly attained a good working knowledge of all tribal dialects except Navaho. For this reason the Navaho is the only tribe available offering complete security for the type of work under consideration. It is noted in Mr. Johnston's article (enclosed) that the Navaho is the largest tribe but the lowest in literacy. He stated, however, that 1,000--if that many were needed--could be found with the necessary qualifications. It should also be noted that the Navaho tribal dialect is completely unintelligible to all other tribes and all other people, with the possible exception of as many as 28 Americans who have made a study of the dialect. This dialect is thus equivalent to a secret code to the enemy, and admirably suited for rapid, secure communication. 4. It is therefore recommended that an effort be made to enlist 200 Navaho Indians for this force. In addition to linguistic qualifications in English and their tribal dialect they [[Page H8253]] should have the physical qualifications for messengers. Clayton B. Vogel, Commanding General. Their elite unit was formed in early 1942 when the first of the 29 Navajo Code Talkers were recruited by Johnston. The code was modified and improved throughout the war, but it is so important to note that these 29 Navajo heroes came up with the original code themselves. Accordingly, they are often referred to reverently as the ``original 29.'' We will have the honor of reading their names a bit later this evening. Many of these enlistees were just boys with little exposure to the world outside of the Navajo reservation. After the war, it was discovered that recruits as young as 15 and as old as 35 years of age had enlisted. In fact, a few of these men traveled to other towns on the reservation, outside their clan where no one knew them and their true age, in order to enlist underage and serve their country. After sailing through basic training, the Navajo Code Talkers were sent to Marine divisions in the Pacific theater of World War II. Their reputation as innovators soon spread far and wide amongst their commanding officers. In the field, they were not allowed to write any part of the code down as a reference. In fact, the code existed only amongst this small group. Under high pressure battle conditions, the Code Talkers had to quickly recall their code accurately, or risk hundreds or thousands of lives. Make no mistake about the gravity of this accomplishment. The Navajo Code Talkers created the only unbroken code in modern military history. It baffled the Japanese forces. It was even indecipherable to a Navajo soldier taken prisoner and tortured on Bataan. The secret code created by the Navajo Code Talkers was a simple marvel of linguistic invention. It contained native terms that were associated with specialized or commonly used military language, as well as native terms that represented letters in the alphabet. English words with no Navajo translation were spelled out using the Navajo alphabet. The selection of a given term was based on the first letter of the English meaning of the Navajo word. For words that did not translate into Navajo, the Code Talkers created code that did not directly translate, but tended to resemble the things with which they are associated. For example, the Navajo word for ``iron fish'' represented submarine. I could give many more examples, but I think that one is particularly poignant. To say ``America,'' the Code Talkers used the word ``ne-he-mah,'' which means ``our mother.'' This brilliant code allowed our U.S. Marines to communicate quickly and accurately. The Code Talkers' brave work is widely credited with successes of battle in the Pacific and, more ultimately, with helping to end this tragic war. {time} 1930 In the battle for Iwo Jima, in the first 48 hours alone they coded over 800 transmissions with perfect accuracy. While the true heroism of these brave warriors is known today, sadly, the Code Talkers had to return home after the war without the heroes' welcome they deserved. Ironically, the code was such a precious asset to the U.S. military that it was classified and had to be kept secret. While the code was declassified in 1968, it took years to properly decorate those veterans. In 2001, nearly 60 years after they created their legendary code, the Navajo Code Talkers finally received their well-deserved Congressional Medals of Honor. Today, only one original Code Talker remains, but the tradition lives on. A delegation of the Four Corners States will attempt to recognize these warriors one by one and give us their thoughts during this hour. I would like to first recognize my good friend from Arizona (Mr. Flake). Mr. FLAKE. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for arranging this Special Order. This is something that we in Arizona and anywhere in the West in Utah and elsewhere have great pride in and that this recognition, as the gentleman mentioned, came far too late and has been far too little, given the amount of the impact that the Navajo Code Talkers had on World War II. So I'm pleased to be here and to lend my voice to recognition. As the gentleman mentioned, only one of the original Code Talkers is still living. So I think it's important that we recognize others who carried on this code and tradition and helped out in this way. This was a group, as we mentioned, of many Navajos, Native Americans, who volunteered for the armed services in World War II. This was, as the gentleman said, very successful. It was the only code that remained unbroken. And one of the most amazing aspects of World War II is how these people came together, as the gentleman mentioned, young kids in their teen years and others, and volunteered for this effort. It's even more remarkable when we note that many States did not permit Native Americans to vote until the 1950s. Yet the Code Talkers were undeterred. They wanted to help their country. It's fitting that we honor this group on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the start of World War II, because they had such an integral part of ensuring that that brutal war came to an end. I want to thank my colleague from Arizona and others who have come here for putting together this timely tribute to make sure that these individuals are recognized for the impact that they had in ending this war and to ensure that this world remains free. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman. I would like at this time to acknowledge my good friend from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan). Mr. LUJAN. I thank my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) for bringing us together tonight as we get a chance to visit and celebrate heroes that are amongst us, whether it's in spirit or body, as we are still so fortunate to have Chester Nez with us, one of the original 29 as well. With me tonight I have a few excerpts of articles that have been written around the country that capture some stories recently in the Fronteras Desk. An author by the name of Laurel Morales captured the story of Chester Nez. It starts like this: ``Growing up in New Mexico, Chester Nez and many of his fellow Navajo were punished for speaking their language.'' You talk about a language as they were pulled away to boarding schools, so many of the young Navajo across the country, and the importance of what they were able to accomplish during World War II. In the words of Major Howard Connor of the 5th Marine Division, he declared that were it not for the Navajos, the marines would never have taken Iwo Jima, and the importance of language and what they were able to accomplish. The article goes on to read that years later, Nez was shocked to learn that he'd been recruited by the marines specifically to devise a code using the same language the government tried to beat out of him. It was extremely ironic. One of the very things they were forbidden to do--speak Navajo--ended up helping us save the war. Mr. Nez goes on to say that he and his fellow Code Talkers first developed an alphabet, as you described, Mr. Gosar, using everyday Navajo words to represent letters of words, as you talked about-- submarine: iron fish; besh-lo: iron fish; and hummingbird: dah-he-tih- hi to talk about fighter planes. It's amazing how when we talked about the Japanese and how they were so effective at cracking codes, how they couldn't crack this one. Mr. Nez goes on to say in the article that being one of the last original Code Talkers, he lives in Albuquerque with his son--a father of six children. He has nine grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren. It goes on to say that ``today, with so many people leaving the reservation, Navajo elders like Nez fear their language is dying. Nez hopes Navajo children learn the story of Code Talkers so they understand just how critical it is to learn their own language.'' And thank you for bringing us together, Mr. Gosar, this evening to help celebrate the history of our Code Talkers, as it wasn't until Senator Bingaman moved legislation back in 2000 to be able to give honor to our original 29--a few of them, at the very least, and their families--with gold medals, and silver medals to the others that were also trained to go on. So I think this is an example of a few stories that we'll be submitting and sharing this evening to be able to celebrate the lives and stories and the history, especially on today as we remember Pearl Harbor and all the sacrifice [[Page H8254]] and all the families we lost that day and so many brave soldiers as well. Thanks for bringing this tonight. I look forward to many stories and continuing to share many of the articles that we've been able to find capturing the history and personal stories of our friend, our heroes, the Code Talkers from all throughout New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico. At this time I would like to recognize my good friend from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz). Mr. CHAFFETZ. Thank you. I appreciate the bipartisan nature in which we do this. These are truly American heroes who have made a difference in our lives and something we should all be proud of and never forget. I worry as these gentlemen get older that somehow generations in the future will maybe forget this. I appreciate you, Mr. Gosar, for your commitment to them. I know you're passionate about this. I can see it in your eyes when you talk about it. I wanted to recognize and pay special tribute to somebody who's originally from Utah, Samuel Tom Holiday. He was a Navajo Code Talker. He served in the United States Marine Corps 4th Marine Division, 25th Regiment, the H&S Company. We're fortunate to still have him here with us in our presence today. Mr. Holiday was born in 1924 on a Navajo reservation near the Monument Valley area of Utah, down near the Four Corners area. He was a Navajo Code Talker in World War II. As you have talked about before, Code Talkers transmitted tactical messages by telephone and radio in the Dine language. It was a code the Japanese were never able to break and was very instrumental in our war efforts. At a young age, Samuel and his brothers hid from government agents who came to send Navajo children to boarding schools. Holiday said he was ultimately caught and forced to attend a boarding school where he was not allowed to speak his native language. As he said, ``One of the hardest times I had was learning to talk English. I would hide cookies in my pockets to pay the older boys to teach me English. Whenever they''--the school instructors--``found out I had talked Navajo, they made me scrub floors, scrub walls. I spent much of my first year scrubbing the wall.'' Mr. Holiday attended the school until he was 18 years old and he was recruited into the Marine Corps. Mr. Holiday served in the Pacific theatre from 1943 to 1945 in Saipan, Tinian, Kwajalein Atoll, and Iwo Jima. From Mr. Holiday: ``A lot of time they sent us where it was a very dangerous spot, and I sent messages. They didn't know we were Navajo Code Talkers using Navajo language.'' The very language he was punished for using in his boarding school was suddenly a major asset to the United States Marines. Mr. Holiday remains active with the Navajo Code Talkers Association. He's traveled throughout most of the United States conducting presentations about the Code Talkers and about his life experiences before and after the war. I was very pleased to see that Mr. Holiday was awarded the Congressional Silver Medal, something he was very worthy of, obviously. It's interesting to me that the Navajo Code Talker Program was actually a secret until after the war and was not declassified until later in 1968. It was another 14 years before the Navajo Code Talkers were recognized by the United States Government. In fact, in December of 1982, President Ronald Reagan recognized the Code Talkers for their dedicated service, unique achievement, patriotism, resourcefulness, and courage. {time} 1940 August 14, 1982 was proclaimed National Navajo Code Talkers Day. I think President Reagan did the right thing. I think it's something that all Americans--I want my kids and people in Utah and across the Nation to recognize the contributions and sacrifices that these people made. They truly made a difference in our lives; instrumental in the war. I appreciate this time to be able to recognize their achievements and help to our country. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman from Utah. I would like at this time to recognize my friend, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich). Mr. HEINRICH. I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona for pulling us together from around the four corners to honor these incredible Native Americans, these incredible Americans, especially on this historic anniversary. And I'm certainly honored to join my colleagues tonight to honor the quiet valor of all the Navajo Code Talkers. Today, some six decades since their service during World War II, only one of the original 29 Code Talkers, Corporal Chester Nez, survives. And I am incredibly proud of Corporal Nez, who at the age of 90 resides in my congressional district in Albuquerque with his son Mike, his daughter-in-law Rita, and their children. Corporal Nez's story is much like the hundreds of Code Talkers who followed in his footsteps. He grew up on the Navajo Nation to parents who grew corn and pinto beans, kept goats and sheep. And he grew up in a time when Navajos were sharply mistreated and even unable to vote in our own elections in places throughout the Southwest. Yet in 1942, at the age of 18, he sprung into action and he joined the 382nd Platoon in a role that is largely credited with saving thousands of American lives. Along with the other 28 original Code Talkers, Corporal Nez developed a code from their unwritten language. You can find the code's explanation today in the index of his autobiography. And whether in artillery, tanks, aboard ships or in infantry, the Code Talkers played a vital role in some of the worst battles in the Pacific theater, communicating battlefield codes that were never, ever broken by the enemy. Their code-talking was considered so essential to the war that, unlike their counterparts, many of them were forced to serve straight through the war with no breaks for rest or trips back home. And today, we widely recognize that their service helped turn the course of World War II. Yet because of the sheer secret of their role and the possibility that they would be called back for the same duty in the future, the actions of the Code Talkers weren't declassified until 23 years after the war ended. And it wasn't until 55 years later that they were bestowed with the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor and Silver Medal. To the young people of the Navajo Nation for whom Corporal Nez's quiet valor is a remarkable example, I encourage you to carry on his legacy by keeping the Navajo language alive and well for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, I know that the Navajo Nation takes such pride in these heroes. And on behalf of all of us who owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for their service, I'm proud to recognize the courage, service, and bravery of all the Navajo Code Talkers, and especially Corporal Nez of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico for that find. I would now like to acknowledge my good friend from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert). Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Thank you, Congressman Gosar. For all of us, we truly appreciate you organizing this. When you consider today is the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the entry into World War II, for many of us who grew up with family that had served, there's many heartbreaking stories. But when we reach out and read and learn more about the Code Talkers story, it's one of the great moments of pride for those of us from Arizona. When you consider there were--my understanding is there were about 400 native Americans who served, but the 27--was it 27 or 29? Mr. GOSAR. Twenty-nine. Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Twenty-nine from Arizona, I've had the pleasure over time of meeting some of them. I also know, as Arizona now is about to begin celebrating its 100th anniversary--and I have, actually, it's a little bit of a silly photo, but there is actually a smaller version of this on my wall in my office. A few months ago we had our very first celebration of beginning the 1-year celebration of our centennial as a State, and we were featuring our Navajo Code Talkers. It is something that many of us from the West are very, very proud of. And it was also that little moment where if [[Page H8255]] you ever want to be a little humiliated, have them try to teach you to speak a few Navajo words, and then the giggling begins on how badly you pronounce it. But for anyone who is listening, the Navajo Code Talkers have actually built a foundation, and they actually have a wonderful Web site that has data and stories. It is navajocodetalkers.org. I encourage anyone to reach out and grab some of that information. These are powerful stories of incredible service to our country in a time of great need with a very unique skill and talent. I thank the gentleman from Arizona for organizing this. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman from Arizona. I want to take a few moments and honor one of our own in Arizona who just recently died. It is my humble privilege to honor Allen Dale June, one of the original 29 Code Talkers. He died just recently in September of 2010 at the age of 91. He passed away of natural causes at the Veterans Hospital in Prescott, Arizona, which is in my district. He is survived by his wife and 10 children and was buried in Kaibeto, in the heart of Navajo reservation. June, who attained the rank of sergeant, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 along with other members of the original Code Talkers. When he died, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lawrence Morgan said, ``The Navajo Nation lost a great warrior. His unique service to his country brought positive attention to the Navajo Nation. He will be missed.'' According to his wife, Virginia, June first tried to sign up for the Marines in his hometown of Kaibeto, but a recruiter told him he was too young. He then traveled to the reservation town of Chinle to enlist because he figured people there wouldn't recognize him and he could lie about his age and forge his father's signature. This dedication and determination to serve their country was common among the Code Talkers and shows character and bravery that we all should emulate. Allen June was a humble man who did not like to brag about much, even his remarkable service as a Code Talker. However, in the last years of his life he wore his service proudly, sporting a red Navajo Code Talker cap with his name on it. I would like to take an opportunity and see if my colleague from New Mexico would entertain a colloquy back and forth giving the roll call of the names of the 29. Mr. LUJAN. It would certainly be an honor, Mr. Gosar. Mr. GOSAR. Thank you, sir. The roll call for the Navajo Code Talkers, the original 29: Charlie Y. Begay. Mr. LUJAN. Royal L. Begay. Mr. GOSAR. Samuel Begay. Mr. LUJAN. John Ashi Benally. Mr. GOSAR. Wilsie Bitsie. Mr. LUJAN. Cosey S. Brown. Mr. GOSAR. John Brown, Jr. Mr. LUJAN. John Chee. Mr. GOSAR. Benjamin Cleveland. Mr. LUJAN. Eugene R. Crawford. Mr. GOSAR. David Curley. Mr. LUJAN. Lowell S. Damon. Mr. GOSAR. George H. Dennison. Mr. LUJAN. James Dixon. Mr. GOSAR. Carl N. Gorman. Mr. LUJAN. Oscar B. Ilthma. Mr. GOSAR. Allen Dale June. Mr. LUJAN. Alfred Leonard. Mr. GOSAR. Johnny R. Manuelito. Mr. LUJAN. William McCabe. Mr. GOSAR. Chester Nez. Mr. LUJAN. Jack Nez. Mr. GOSAR. Lloyd Oliver. Mr. LUJAN. Joe Palmer. Mr. GOSAR. Frank Danny Pete. Mr. LUJAN. Nelson S. Thompson. Mr. GOSAR. Harry Tsosie. Mr. LUJAN. John Willie. Mr. GOSAR. William Dean Wilson. Does my friend have any further comments? Mr. LUJAN. Only to say again, Mr. Gosar, as we celebrate tonight, to never forget about the contributions of the Navajo people to our great Nation, with the work that they've done not only through the Cold War, but going back to all the work that was done. {time} 1950 As we pointed out earlier, in the words of Major Howard Connor, if it were not for the Navajos, the marines never would have taken Iwo Jima. It's a great night to be here to celebrate, and I thank you for bringing us together. I would like to submit into the Record an article from the Santa Fe New Mexican, dated August 29, 2010, also capturing the story telling and talking about Mr. Chester Nez, as well as the article, ``The Last of the Navajo Code Talkers,'' by Laurel Morales, which was listed in the Fronteras Desk. [From the SantaFeNewMexican.com, Aug. 29, 2010] An Original Code Talker Keeps Tale Alive--Few Remaining Members of Elite Navajo Marine Unit (By Felicia Fonseca) Albuquerque.--Tourists hurry inside a shop here to buy books about the famed Navajo Code Talkers, warriors who used their native language as their primary weapon. Outside, on a walk sheltered from the sun, nine of the Code Talkers sit at a table autographing the books. Each is an old man now. They wear similar caps and shirts, the scarlet and gold of the Marine Corps, and turquoise jewelry. One of these men, who signs his name as Cpl. Chester Nez, is distinguished from the others. Below his signature, he jots down why: 1st Original 29. Before hundreds of Code Talkers were recruited from the Navajo Nation to join the elite unit, 29 Navajos were recruited to develop the code--based on the then-unwritten Navajo language--that would confound Japanese military cryptologists and help win World War II. Of the Original 29, only three survive. Nez is one. The Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific, sending thousands of messages without error on Japanese troop movements, battlefield tactics and other communications critical to the war's ultimate outcome. ``It's one of the greatest parts of history that we used our own native language during World War II,'' Nez said in an interview with The Associated Press. ``We're very proud of it.'' Nez tells the story succinctly. He is the last of the original group able to do so. One can hardly speak or hear, and the memory of the third is severely tested by Alzheimer's disease. The 89-year-old Nez is limited, too. He is in a wheelchair after diabetes led to the amputation of both legs. These days, he'd rather ``just sit around, take it easy,'' he said. As a boy, Nez lived in a traditional Navajo home and helped his family tend to sheep in Two Wells on the eastern side of the vast 27,000-square-mile reservation. He played with toy cars, went barefoot, and spoke only his native language. That changed when he was sent to one of the boarding schools set up by the federal government to assimilate American Indian children into the broader culture. At boarding school, Nez said he had his mouth washed out with soap for speaking Navajo--ironic indeed, considering the vital role that the unique language--and Nez--would come to play. Nez was in 10th grade when a Marine recruiter came looking for young Navajos who were fluent in Navajo and English to serve in World War II. He jumped at the chance to defend his country, and to leave boarding school. He kept the decision to enlist a secret from his family and lied about his age, as did many others. ``I told my roommate, `Let's try it out,' and that's what we did,'' Nez said. ``One reason we joined is the uniform-- they were so pretty, dress uniforms.'' About 250 Navajos showed up at Fort Defiance, Ariz., then a U.S. Army base. But only 29 were selected to join the first all-Native American unit of Marines. They were inducted in May 1942. After basic training, the 382nd Platoon was tasked with developing the code. There Nez met Allen Dale June and Lloyd Oliver, among the others. Using Navajo words for red soil, war chief, clan, braided hair, beads, ant and hummingbird, for example, they came up with a glossary of more than 200 terms, later expanded, and an alphabet. At first, Nez said, the concern was whether or not the code could work. Then it proved impenetrable. ``The Japanese did everything in their power to break the code but they never did,'' he said. Nez no longer remembers the code in its entirety, but easily switches from English to Navajo to repeat one instruction he delivered during fighting on Guadalcanal. ``I always remember this one,'' Nez said. ``Enemy machine gun on your right flank, destroy!'' The Navajos trained in radio communications were walking copies of the code. Each message read aloud by a Code Talker was immediately destroyed. ``When you're involved in the world of cryptology, you not only have to provide information, you have to protect that,'' said Patrick Weadon, curator of the National Cryptologic Museum. ``And there's no better example than the Navajo Code Talkers during World War II.'' The Code Talkers were constantly on the move, often from foxhole to foxhole. Nez had a close call in Guam with a sniper's bullet that whizzed past his head and struck a palm tree. Once while running a message, Nez and his partner were mistaken for Japanese soldiers [[Page H8256]] and were threatened at gunpoint until a Marine lieutenant cleared up the confusion, his son, Michael, said. ``Of course Dad couldn't tell them he was a Code Talker,'' Nez's son said. The Code Talkers had orders not to discuss their roles--not during the war and not until their mission was declassified 23 years later. In 2001 Nez, Dale and June traveled aboard the same plane to Washington, D.C., to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. The recognition, which they didn't receive when they returned home from war, propelled them to a sort of celebrity status, along with the release of a movie based on the Code Talkers the following year They appeared on television, rode on floats in parades and were asked to speak to veterans groups and students. Nez threw the opening pitch at a 2004 Major League Baseball game and blessed the presidential campaign of John Kerry. Oliver traveled with other Code Talkers as guests of honor in the nation's largest Veterans Day parade in New York last year. When residents of Longmont, Colo., heard that June and his wife did not have a permanent home, they raised money to buy one for the couple. The last three survivors of the Original 29 don't live on the Navajo Nation, where they are celebrated with a tribal holiday. They wonder about each other, but it's unlikely they'll reunite again. After World War II, Nez volunteered to serve two more years during the Korean War and retired in 1974 after a 25-year career as a painter at the veterans hospital in Albuquerque. June, 88, has spent the past few weeks in and out of hospitals in Wyoming and Arizona, and requires round-the- clock care. His third wife, Virginia, calls herself ``the charm'' and the protector of an endangered species. She's a walking promotion for him and the Marine Corps, yet she's careful of how much she says because he thinks it is unwelcome bragging. Oliver's wife, Lucille, echoes similar sentiments about her husband. Oliver displayed few reminders in what, until earlier this year, was his home on the Yavapai Indian reservation in Camp Verde, Ariz.--a few framed pictures, a Marine cap above his bedroom window and a U.S. flag above the doorway. ``He just put the past behind him, I guess,'' she says. Oliver, 87, speaks audibly but his words are difficult to understand. His hearing is impaired and he prefers not to have a hearing aid. Both June and Oliver had brothers who later served as Code Talkers. Nez tells the tourists seeking autographs in Albuquerque that he's part of the Original 29, but few appear to grasp what that means. ``Most of them,'' he says of the tourists, ``they just thank me for what we did.'' ____ [From the Fronteras Desk, Nov. 11, 2011] The Last of The Navajo Code Talkers (By Laurel Morales) Flagstaff.--Only one veteran Navajo code talker remains of the original 29 Navajo Marines who used their native language to devise an unbreakable code during World War II. Growing up in New Mexico, Chester Nez and many of his fellow Navajo were punished for speaking their language. In the 1920s, Nez attended one of many government run boarding schools that attempted to erase Indian culture and language. ``I often think about the things I went through, all the hardships,'' Nez said. He was being interviewed at the studios of KUNM in Albuquerque for Veterans Day. Years later, Nez was shocked to learn he'd been recruited by the Marines, specifically to devise a code using the same language the government tried to beat out of him. Judith Avila helped Nez write his memoir Code Talker, which was just published. ``It was extremely ironic one of the very things they were forbidden to do--speak Navajo--ended up helping save us during the war,'' Avila said. During World War II, the Japanese had cracked code after code the U.S. military used to hide their communications. Then, a Marine by the name of Philip Johnston, who had been raised on the Navajo Nation by white missionaries, suggested enlisting the help of the Navajo tribe. They became known as the code talkers. Navajo, or Dine as it's called, is a spoken language. And few non-Navajos understand its complexities. Nez and his fellow code talkers first developed an alphabet using every day Navajo words to represent letters, like the Navajo word for ant became ``A.'' Chester Nez, seen here during World War II, is 90 and the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. Then they came up with words for military terms. In Navajo, there is no word for bomb. So they called it an egg. A fighter plane was the Navajo word for hummingbird. ``And the Japanese tried everything in their power to try to decipher our code, but they never succeeded,'' Nez said. He and his fellow code talkers were faced with many cultural challenges during the war. The most difficult was dealing with so much death. The Navajo believe when you encounter a dead body that person's spirit stays with you. Coming home after the war, Nez remembered being haunted by these spirits. ``They were all around me. I actually see them alongside my bed,'' Nez said. ``This was one of the bad omen.'' His family performed a ceremony called the ``enemy way'' to cleanse him After that, Nez said, he felt free of the ghosts. The code talker program was secret. When Nez and the others arrived home in 1945, there was no fanfare. The code remained active for years after the war; it wasn't declassified until 1968. Still, it took decades before the men were officially recognized. In 2000, New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman introduced legislation to honor the code talkers. The following year-- nearly six decades after the code was written--president George W. bush awarded them Congressional Gold Medals. ``Today we give these exceptional Marines the recognition they earned so long ago,'' President Bush told a televised crowd at the Capital Rotunda. Only five of the original 29 were still alive. Chester Nez stood tall, puffed out his chest and saluted the president, while the crowd--many relatives of code talker families--gave the group a standing ovation. ``This gold medal is something I will treasure for as long as I live,'' said Nez, now 90-years-old. The last original code talker lives in Albuquerque with his son. The father of six children, he has nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Today with so many people leaving the reservation, Navajo elders like Nez fear their language is dying. Nez hopes Navajo children learn the story of the code talkers, so they understand just how critical it is to learn and use their own language. Mr. GOSAR. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico for his contribution. I would also like to start by going through the further list of the Navajo Code Talkers in the honor roll: Navajo Code Talker list Confirmed by Marine Corps, as of 17 July 2001 1. Akee, Dan 818638 2. Anthony, Franklin 990074 3. Apache, Jimmie 936773 4. Arviso, Bennie 894438 5. Ashike, Earl 990140 6. Ashley, Regis 894674 7. Attikai, Harold 990084 8. Augustine, John 894402 9. Ayze, Lewis 990075 10. Bahe, Henry 479876 11. Bahe, Woody 875423 12. Baldwin, Benjamin 818564 13. Beard, Harold 894537 14. Becenti, Roy L. 831055 15. Bedoni, Sidney 479771 16. Begay, Carlos 818566 17. Begay, Charlie Sosie 830976 18. Begay, Flemming 830977 19. Begay, George 990132 20. Begay, Henry 990142 21. Begay, Jerry C. 830979 22. Begay, Joe 990094 23. Begay, Lee 990116 24. Begay, Leo 990126 25. Begay, Leonard 990210 26. Begay, Notah 875405 27. Begay, Paul 479917 28. Begay, Samuel H. 358525 29. Begay, Thomas H. 537144 30. Begay, Walter 990073 31. Begay, Willie K.1000016 32. Begay, Wilson J. 894417 33. Begody, David M. 990209 34. Begody, Roger 875422 35. Belinda, Wilmer 875407 36. Belone, Harry 936837 37. Benallie, Jimmie D. 964665 38. Benally, Harrison Lee 1000075 39. Benally, Harry 894507 40. Benally, Jimmie L. 831045 41. Benally, Johnson D. 875371 42. Benally, Samuel 1000078 43. Benton, Sr., Willie 830980 44. Bernard, John 875276 45. Betone, Lloyd 830963 46. Bia, Andrew 990072 47. Billey, Wilfred 830982 48. Billie, Ben 1000045 49. Billiman, Howard 521004 50. Billison, Samuel (Dr.) 831074 51. Billy, Sam Jones 830981 52. Bitsie, Peter J. 1000037 53. Bitsoie, Delford 990061 54. Bizardie, Jesse 875495 55. Black, Jesse 990205 56. Blatchford, Paul 818633 57. Bluehorse, David M. 831043 58. Bowman, John Henry 403099 59. Bowman, Robert 936938 60. Brown, Arthur 990125 61. Brown, Clarence Paul 990088 62. Brown, Tsosie Herman 990202 63. Brown, William Tully 990109 64. Buck, Wilford 1000019 65. Burke, Bobby 894411 66. Burnie, Jose 1000100 67. Burnside, Francis 548184 68. Burr, Sandy 830984 69. Cadman, William 936839 70. Calleditto, Andrew 448919 71. Carroll, Oscar Tsosie 894622 72. Cattle Chaser, Dennis 479729 73. Cayedito, Del 830985 74. Cayedito, Ralph 830986 75. Charley, Carson Bahe 894600 76. Charlie, Sam 990199 77. Chase, Frederick 479873 78. Chavez, George 831098 79. Chee, Guy 990200 80. Clah, Stewart 965051 81. Claw, Thomas 818547 82. Cleveland, Billie 521016 83. Cleveland, Ned 894519 84. Cody, Leslie 479834 [[Page H8257]] 85. Cohoe, James Charles 416497 86. Craig, Bob Etcitty 830988 87. Crawford, Karl Kee 478278 88. Cronemeyer, Walter 990201 89. Crosby, Billy 990035 90. Csinnjinni, Carl 416351 91. Dale, Ray 448911 92. Damon, Anson C. 990227 93. Davis, Tully 875378 94. Deel, Martin Dale 818563 95. Dehiya, Dan 830989 96. Dennison, Leo 990107 97. Dodge, Jerome Cody 894478 98. Doolie, John 830990 99. Doolie, Richardson 479723 100. Draper, Nelson 990098 101. Draper, Teddy Sr. 875345 102. Etsicitty, Kee 830991 103. Etsitty, Deswood 875304 104. Evans, Harold 990097 105. Foghorn, Ray 830992 106. Francisco, Jimmy 818625 107. Gatewood, Joseph P. 479889 108. George, William 894441 109. Gishal, Milton M. 875283 110. Gleason, Jimmie 894446 111. Goodluck, John 830933 112. Gorman, Tom 818627 113. Grayson, Bill L. 990052 114. Greymountain, Yazzie 894538 115. Guerito, Billy Lewis 830994 116. Gustine, Tully 830995 117. Guy, Charles 875406 118. Harding, Ben Williams 990091 119. Harding, Jack W. 479888 120. Hardy, Tom 894628 121. Harrison, Emmett 894479 122. Haskie, Ross 358587 123. Hawthorne, Roy Orville 990027 124. Haycock, Bud 990196 125. Hemstreet, Leslie 936840 126. Henry, Albert 830996 127. Henry, Edmund Juan 830997 128. Henry, Kent Carl 936779 129. Hickman, Dean Junian 990103 130. Holiday, Calvin 990198 131. Holiday, Samuel Tom 818614 132. Housewood, Johnson 448907 133. Housteen, Dennie 479730 134. Howard, Ambrose 818574 135. Hubbard, Arthur Jose 1000128 136. Hudson, Lewey 894521 137. Hunter, Tom 875445 138. James, Benjamin 830998 139. James, Billie 875301 140. James, George B. 875342 141. Johle, Elliott 894447 142. John, Charlie T. 875395 143. John, Leroy M. Sr. 448918 144. Johns, Edmund 448908 145. Johnny, Earl 830999 146. Johnson, Deswood R. 844625 147. Johnson, Francis T. 479772 148. Johnson, Johnnie 537164 149. Johnson, Peter 894412 150. Johnson, Ralph 990086 151. Jones, Jack 818548 152. Jones, Tom H. Jr. 831001 153. Jordan, David 831000 154. June, Floyd 479768 155. Keams, Percy 990028 156. Keedah, Wilson 894673 157. Kellwood, Joe H. 479704 158. Kescoli, Alonzo 875397 159. Ketchum, Bahe 875416 160. King, Jimmie 448910 161. Kinlacheeny, Paul 894414 162. Kinsel, John 448912 163. Kirk, George H. 831003 164. Kirk, Leo 585379 165. Kiyaani, Mike 894629 166. Kontz, Rex T. 448921 167. Lapahie, Harrison 831046 168. Largo, James 990095 169. Little, Keith M. 818629 170. Lopez, Tommy K. 831059 171. MacDonald, Peter 1000079 172. Malone, Max 894621 173. Malone, Rex 831101 174. Malone, Robert 831075 175. Maloney, James 990085 176. Maloney, Paul E. 875431 177. Manuelito, Ben C. 479800 178. Manuelito, Ira 831005 179. Manuelito, James C. 831060 180. Manuelito, Peter 1000234 181. Marianito, Frank 936841 182. Mark, Robert 990093 183. Martin, Matthew 894406 184. Martinez, Jose 894550 185. McCraith, Archibald 990110 186. Mike, King Paul 894671 187. Miles, General 990096 188. Moffitt, Tom Clah 894473 189. Morgan, Jack C. 830932 190. Morgan, Ralph 448920 191. Morris, Joe 894601 192. Moss, George 990093 193. Multine, Oscar P. 875314 194. Murphy, Calvin H. 875360 195. Nagurski, Adolph N. 875384 196. Nahkai, James T. Jr. 831006 197. Nakaidinae, Peter Sr. 479861 198. Napa, Martin Felix 199. Negale, Harding 936842 200. Newman, Alfred 831007 201. Nez, Arthur 1000176 202. Nez, Freeland 875252 203. Nez, Israel Hosteen 479769 204. Nez, Sidney 894511 205. Notah, Roy 448914 206. Notah, Willie Anthony 875300 207. O'Dell, Billy 479877 208. Oliver, Willard V. 831008 209. Paddock, Layton 479871 210. Pahe, Robert D. 831114 211. Parrish, Paul A. 416414 212. Patrick, Amos Roy 936843 213. Patterson, David Earl 831043 214. Peaches, Alfred James 875372 215. Peshlakai, Sam 894440 216. Peterson, Joe Sr. 1000089 217. Pinto, Gaul (Guy) 831047 218. Pinto, John Senator 990189 219. Platero, Richard 894460 220. Preston, Jimmie 479801 221. Reed, Sam 875369 222. Roanhorse, Harry C. 831011 223. Sage, Andy 831012 224. Sage, Denny 818604 225. Salabiye, Jerry E. 1000024 226. Sandoval, Peter P. 831088 227. Sandoval, Samuel F. 831013 228. Sandoval, Thomas 831014 229. Scott, John 875415 230. Sells, John C. 936956 231. Shields, Freddie 894442 232. Shorty, Dooley 1000177 233. Shorty, Robert T. 831049 234. Silversmith, Joe A. 831015 235. Silversmith, Sammy 831050 236. Singer, Oscar Jones 990122 237. Singer, Richard 479774 238. Skeet, Wilson Chee 1000081 239. Slinkey, Richard T. 479727 240. Slivers, Albert J. Sr. 990068 241. Smiley, Arcenio 894508 242. Smith, Albert 831062 243. Smith, George 831063 244. Smith, Raymond R. 857535 245. Smith, Samuel Jesse 831073 246. Soce, George B. 831016 247. Sorrell, Benjamin G. 448905 248. Spencer, Harry 990197 249. Tabaha, Johnnie 990076 250. Tah, Alfred 479831 251. Tah, Edward 894676 252. Talley, John N. 831017 253. Tallsalt, Bert 990082 254. Thomas, Edward 990129 255. Thomas, Richard 894520 256. Thompson, Clare M. 875458 257. Thompson, Everett M. 818518 258. Thompson, Francis T. 537182 259. Thompson, Frank T. 403057 260. Todacheene, Carl Leon 831018 261. Todacheene, Frank Carl 990105 262. Tohe, Benson 537165 263. Toledo, Curtis 831051 264. Toledo, Frank 479759 265. Toledo, Preston 479757 266. Toledo, Willie 479756 267. Towne, Joseph H. 479721 268. Towne, Zane 479770 269. Tso, Chester H. 894413 270. Tso, Howard B. 894677 271. Tso, Paul Edward 990071 272. Tso, Samuel 818546 273. Tsosie, Alfred 831019 274. Tsosie, Cecil G. 831020 275. Tsosie, Collins D. 831021 276. Tsosie, Kenneth 831025 277. Tsosie, Samuel Sr. 479913 278. Upshaw, John 990099 279. Upshaw, William 875364 280. Vandever, Joe 831026 281. Wagner, Oliver 990162 282. Wallace, Stephan P. 1000022 283. Walley, Robert 831027 284. Werito, John 831052 285. Whitman, Lyman J. 894466 286. Willetto, Frank, Jr. 831029 287. Willetto, Frankie Chee 894509 288. Williams, Alex 875338 289. Williams, Kenneth 875370 290. Willie, George B. 875408 291. Woody, Clarence Bahi 990092 292. Yazhe, Ernest 448949 293. Yazhe, Harrison A. 875363 294. Yazza, Peter 875442 295. Yazza, Vincent 1000109 296. Yazzie, Clifton 894593 297. Yazzie, Daniel 831030 298. Yazzie, Eddie Melvin 521223 299. Yazzie, Edison Kee 875390 300. Yazzie, Felix 416408 301. Yazzie, Francis 1000101 302. Yazzie, Frank H. 990101 303. Yazzie, Harding 894480 304. Yazzie, Harold 537154 305. Yazzie, Joe Shorty 830962 306. Yazzie, John 990113 307. Yazzie, Justin D. 1000126 308. Yazzie, Lemuel Rev. 990062 309. Yazzie, Ned 990112 310. Yazzie, Pahe Denet 479773 311. Yazzie, Raphael 831053 312. Yazzie, Robert 831031 313. Yazzie, William 875347 314. Yellowhair, Leon 990100 315. Yellowhair, Stanley 818600 316. Yellowman, Howard 831032 317. Yoe, George 990119 318. Zah, Henry 894551 LISTED, BUT NOT CONFIRMED 1. Alfred, Johnnie 479728 2. Allen, Perry 818534 3. Becenti, Ned 448948 4. Begay, Edward 474862 5. Begay, Jimmie 419878 6. Begay, Johnson 965045 7. Brown, Ned 818534 8. Clark, Jimmie 830987 9. Fowler, King 990080 10. Gray, Harvey 448909 11. Jenson, Nevy 990178 12. Jose, Teddy 448913 13. Kennepah, Jessie 358451 14. Morgan, Herbert 448922 15. Morgan, Sam 831100 16. Nez, Howard 403039 17. Nez, Howard H. 831086 18. Otero, Tom 831009 19. Singer, Tom 448916 20. Smith, Enoch 998953 21. Sorrel, Jerome 448915 22. Tsosie, David W. 831022 23. Tsosie, Howard 964998 24. Tsosie, Howard J. 831024 25. Whitman, Joe Reid 831028 26. Wilson, William 567102 27. Yazzie, Charley H. 831054 28. Yazzie, Sam W. 990036 [[Page H8258]] PENDING/WAITING FOR RECORDS 1. Anderson, Edward 956330 2. Brown, N.A. 964770 3. Burnside, Francis A. 548184 4. Curley, Rueban 875229 5. David, Alfred 6. Dooley, Richard 807198 7. Foster, Harold Y. 537154 8. Freeman, Edwin 9. Goldtooth, Emmett 10. Goodman, Billie 875280 11. Harthorn, Rodger 2314982 12. Jake, H. 13. Kien, William 831058 14. Leroy, George 15. Leuppe, Edward 381004 16. Nazwood, Johnson 17. Peterson, David 831043 18. Price, Joe F. 894626 19. Price, Wilson H. 358592 20. Sandoval, Merril Leon 831048 21. Tracey, Peter 257670 22. Tsosie, Woody B. 23. Visalia, Buster NOT LISTED 1. Babiye, Don 2. Barber, Willie 3. Begaye, Flemming 830977 4. Bejay, Charlie 5. Burbank, Askee 6. Clauschee, Guy 990200 7. Hanigahnie Jake 8. Kent, Carl Henry 9. Livingston, ? 10. Lod(v?)ato, Joe T. 11. Martinez, Martin 12. Peshlakai, Wallace Jr. 13. Singer, William 14. Yazzie ?, Leon 15. Yazzie, Peter It is with that I submit those names on a wonderful treasure from the Four Corners to America, and what they gave this country is so valuable. You look back on their life and what they gave us is immeasurable. What I would also like to do is honor them on today, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor; and I hope that we would look fondly on their attributes and what they gave to this great country because we are all great because of them. I also want to take the liberty of acknowledging one other person. It's her birthday today. It's my mom. She turned 78. Happy birthday, Mom. I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________