Last Code Talker Has Passed

Chester Nez, the last of the original World War II Navajo code talkers, died yesterday at the age of 93. Nez and 28 others were recruited to develop a code of communication for the US military. Nez, who was once punished in school for using his native language, lied about his age so he could enlist in the US Marine Corps.

The Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific, sending thousands of messages without error regarding Japanese troop movements and battlefield tactics. The Japanese, who were skilled code breakers, were never able to crack the Navajo code.

The movie "Windtalkers" was based on the Code Talkers.  Nez said the movie was a "78 percent accurate" portrayal of them. 

Click here for more details on the life of Nez and the Code Talkers.