Responsibilities
Navajo is only a spoken language, on top of that not only did they speak Navajo, they spoke in a specific code so even if enemies figured out the language, they would not decipher the code. They had to change up the code frequently to keep up with new information and words that were incoming from battle. The responsibilities asked of them were demanding perfection and speed, doing such a thing is no easy task. To accomplish their duties, the Code Talkers were amendable and able to think on their feet to keep up with orders. Constantly translating and speaking code placed heavy burdens on the shoulders of these warriors.
Courtesy of Arizona USA Today
Courtesy of Department of Defense
"In a declassified history of the Pacific campaign, one account is given of the Battle of Iwo Jima, in which the 5th Marine Division signals officer, Major Howard Connor, commanded six Navajo Code Talkers who kept going without a break during the first two days of the battle. The six Code Talkers encoded and decoded more than 800 messages, without a mistake."
(Gale in Context)
"'Were it not for the Navajos the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima,' Connor (U.S Major) stated.”
It is without a doubt that the Navajo Code Talkers held incredible responsibility during WWII. Whether it be coming up with new code words to follow high stakes operations, or staying up for days at a time to communicate with other soldiers, they worked tirelessly to the safety and protection of America. Their high-pressure jobs required them to effectively communicate without errors, all for the most fundamental part of society, the people.
