October brings us the start of fall weather and the observance of Columbus Day, a holiday established to commemorate the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas during the fall of 1492.
Intending it to be a one-time celebration, President Benjamin Harrison declared October 12, 1892 a national holiday commemorating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. It became an annual federal holiday in 1937. Since 2021, however, many states celebrate the day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day along side the federal holiday.
Which brings us today, where we honor the Native American veterans who served as Code Talkers and their admirable contributions to our country. The first Code Talkers were members of the Choctaw Telephone Squad, who were tasked with using their traditional languages to send secret “coded” messages during battles in World War I.
Later, the US Army, and later the US Marines, started actively recruiting men to become Code Talkers. According to the National World War II Museum, there were at least 14 other Native nations whose members served as Code Talkers, the name given to the men who served in the Armed Forces as communications experts. Not only did they have to relay these secret messages, but also first had to develop and memorize the code for the messages! The Native American veterans created this code from their largely unwritten language and often had to come up with military terms that didn’t exist in the native languages. It was an amazing feat!
The Code Talkers’ work and contributions were essential to the Allied victory in World War II. According to the article cited below, “5th Marine Division signal officer Major Howard Connor stated, ‘Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.’”
Yet, their work remained a secret until the program was declassified in 1968. It wasn’t until 2001, when they were awarded Congressional Gold Medals, that these dedicated and incredible veterans were recognized for their part in the Allied victory of World War II – an honor long overdue.
Whether you celebrate Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, it is without doubt that Christopher Columbus introduced the European nations to the Americas, even if he had hoped he had discovered a new way to China. And it is without a doubt, our American Indian veterans served with honor, courage, and integrity to preserve our nation. We celebrate them and their achievements this October.
By Colleen K. Hales
Return to Base, Missouri blog writer
You can find additional information on Code Talkers in this article below.
Article Cited:
The National WWII Museum. “American Indian Code Talkers ” Published October 31, 2026. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/american-indian-code-talkers
