Was the Iwo Jima's Navajo Code Talkers code ever broken?

2020-02-19T19:33:54-05:00

Did the Native American Navajo indians get the credit they deserved??

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Feb 19 at 2020 7:42 PM

2020-02-19T19:42:00-05:00

No, it wasn't broken.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 19 at 2020 7:55 PM

2020-02-19T19:55:30-05:00

How do you measure proper credit.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2020 8:42 PM

2020-02-19T20:42:56-05:00

Hell no it was never broken

Response by MSgt Gerald Orvis made Feb 19 at 2020 9:47 PM

2020-02-19T21:47:38-05:00

The Japanese never broke the Navajo code. Nor, as far as I know, did the Nazis break the Comanche and Kiowa codes used by code talkers in Europe. After WWII, the Marine Corps code talkers returned to their homes and took up their lives again, as did most other Marines. As far as being honored, I know the Navajo code talkers that served with the Marines in the Pacific Theater were honored by the Corps on numerous occasions and the surviving ones continue to be honored. I don't know how the Army handled honoring their code talkers since WWII.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2020 12:20 AM

2020-02-20T00:20:46-05:00

Nope, not even by the Washichus!!!

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 20 at 2020 1:36 AM

2020-02-20T01:36:43-05:00

You got the short answer, but there is a bit more. The geographical segments of the tribes had their own variations just as we do with accent and slang. Not only did they talk the language, they'd work together prior to being dispersed on nailing down the actual meaning of words as there wasn't a direct translation in many cases. They had to agree on a descriptor to use. Over time, the teams would vary things up. So the enemy was being hit with stuff they didn't understand and then is was varied so they really couldn't understand. The "code" was in a state of flux. It was as accurate as how well the two on the ends of the line knew each other, common experiences, etc. Even then, stuff had to be made up on the fly. There'd be some back and forth to make sure there was an understanding. Bottom line, the actual intel might only have been 1/3rd of the actual conversation if it wasn't a simple adjustment of fire. The enemy thought all the conversation was intel. Now go sort that.

Response by SPC Richard Zacke made Feb 20 at 2020 7:23 AM

2020-02-20T07:23:19-05:00

MAJ Ken Landgren I have always been amazed how many treaties we broke with the Native Americans one that really sticks out is the NEZ PURSE tribe led by Cheif Joseph...they volunteered to go on a reservation and we broke our deals with them six times and moved them all over the mid west and Montana till they finally ended up back at Nebraska. They where the only tribe to never surrender to the white man. So when I asked did they get the credit they deserved I was refering to...did we just send them home and say thank you or did we help them with like with more hunting land...the Native Americans took whatever we gave them. The NEZ PURSE tribe never even surrendered their weapons because they did not trust the white man. Thanks for your response.