Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval Passes; Only Three Code Talkers Remain
One of the few remaining Navajo Code Talkers, Samuel Sandoval, died at the age of 98.
“Sam was a great warrior. (He) served his country well; especially using the top secret Navajo Code,” Navajo Code Talker and Navajo Code Talker Association President Peter MacDonald said in a text message to The Arizona Mirror.
“He wanted to tell all Navajo families and (the) younger generation the importance of our Navajo language,” he added. “He’ll be terribly missed.”
The Navajo Code talkers were a group of U.S. Marines who used their Native language to transmit messages during World War II. Only three are still alive today: MacDonald, John Kinsel Sr. and Thomas H. Begay.
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Sandoval was born in 1922 in Nageezi, New Mexico, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on March 26, 1943. He completed basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, where the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers arrived in September 1942. The men were responsible for developing the unbreakable code used across the Pacific during World War II.
Sandoval served five combat tours, including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Peleliu and Okinawa, and was honorably discharged in 1946.
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During Sandoval’s military service, he earned a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, a Combat Action Ribbon, a China Service Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, a Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp, and an Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with a silver star. Sandoval also received the 2022 American Spirit Award for Bravery from the National WWII Museum.
Semper fi, et requiescat in pace, bellator inclitus.
WWII is quickly passing into “not in living memory” territory. Won’t be too many more years before Korea suffers the same fate. Vietnam strikes closer to me, since I was of draftable age near the end (and considering which of several unattractive options to take). There’s some small college in the Midwest noted for its letter to faculty each year, reminding them of historical events and/or language phrases and/or technology that they can’t assume incoming freshmen will know (eg, rotary dial phones). I remember when someone forwarded to me the letter that said for the new freshmen, Vietnam was as much “part of history” as WWII.Report
Beloit College used to do it, but Marist College has recently taken it over. Sadly, they have decided to be “more substantive” about it.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/09/09/marist-takes-over-mindset-list-it-changesReport
Perhaps an apocryphal story, but supposedly a kid found an old floppy disk and remarked how someone had 3D printed the “Save” icon.
And even now the Save icon feels kind of outdated.
What’s interesting to me is how often vestiges of the past stay with us long after their original purpose has been retired. For instance (and I’m sure someone here — probably even you, MCain — will know more about this than I) but many of the sounds we associate with phones (e.g., the ringing we here through the phone when placing a call) were related to the actual mechanics of early phones but are now added into cell phones and the like because people would be thrown off if they were absent. There is no reason for phones to make those sounds nowadays but we kind of rely on them to know the phone is working.
We all sort of understand these things in context but ask a young person what they actually mean/do and they’ll likely be befuddled.Report
I tried to put this in the “Ten Second News” column but failed. No matter. This reminder of a remarkable moment in our history, made possible by our unique heritage and diversity and by the bravery of men who had every reason to be resentful of the nation which they nevertheless served with such distinction and effect, is worth a top line mention.Report
You have to check the “ten second news” box *AND* the “sidebar” box.Report
Got it. I’ll… I’ll try harder next time.Report