Last Mohawk ‘code talker’ laid to rest

Thank you COL Lee Flemming for making us aware that Akwesasne Mohawk ‘code talker,’ Louis Levi Oakes died Tuesday June 4, 2019 at the age of 94.
He was the last surviving Mohawk ‘code talker,’ who served in WWII

"He was the last living Akwesasne Mohawk ‘code talker,’ who used his native language for military communications in the South Pacific during World War II, Japan was never able to understand the language, and the code talkers were eventually hailed as heroes of the war.
But for many years, the work Oakes and others did was secret.
“They told him not to talk. You didn’t tell nobody. Not even his family. … The oath they took was don’t tell anybody what you do," recalled Michael Cook, commander of Andrew W. Cook American Legion Post 1479 Saturday.
Oakes’s funeral was Saturday, at Akwesasne, east of Massena.

When Oakes was in his 90s, the secret came out. He was awarded a Congressional Silver Medal. He was recognized at ceremonies. Oakes got to do things he always wanted to do.
“He always wanted to go to Washington and here we go on the trip with the honor flight. Which was amazing for him," said Dora Oakes, his daughter.
Oakes’ funeral It included a procession down Route 37, with hundreds of motorcycles, and a fly-over by helicopters from Fort Drum.

“We wanted to honor him in a special way and as an aviation battalion that was an opportunity that we had," said John Miller, Commander 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.
And Tekarhatenies Jocko honored her great-great grandfather in the language he once used in war, with song.
“If it wasn’t for the code talkers, we might have been speaking a different language here. It wouldn’t be the United States," said MIchael Cook, the American Legion commander."

The last Mohawk code talker Louis Levi Oakes dies at 94
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y_oXqjgd4E

FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.

I read in the story how his daughter was not allowed to speak it in school and she does not really know it. Back then, they used to hit you with a ruler if you spoke it in class because they were trying to civilize You by tearing your culture away. My wife understands a few words but she cannot really speak it. My mother-in-law and my aunts can speak it fluently. They speak Cree but Mohawk is another indigenous language that is important and should be taught in schools. Rest in peace Mohawk code talker!
LTC Stephen F. SSG Byron Howard Sr SPC Dennis De Los Santos Remigio

Thank you for posting this story. I saw this last week in the Canadian paper but I forgot to post it so thank you very much!