Code talkers Published Nov. 21, 2008 By 2nd Lt. William Gripp 90th Security Forces Squadron F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Navajo Code Talkers, also referred to as Wind Talkers, are credited with providing outstanding communications security for the United States military during the first and second World Wars. There were as many as 400 Navajo code talkers split into six Marine divisions in World War II. The Navajo language was chosen due to its extreme complexity and difficulty to learn. Therefore, enemy Japanese forces were unable to translate these messages. The primary objective of a code talker was to transmit vital information to other code talkers in fellow platoons. The speed in which they could transmit information via the Navajo language far surpassed the amount of time it would have taken the Marines to transmit and decipher information using other systems of encryption. Although the terms code talkers and wind talkers are primarily associated with Navajo speakers serving in the World War II, other Native American languages were used by the United States military in both World War I and World War II. Soldiers of Basque ancestry were also used for code talking by the Marines during World War II in areas where other those speakers were not expected to be operating. Unfortunately, these soldiers received no recognition until after the operation was declassified in 1968. In 1982, they were given a Certificate of Recognition by President Ronald Reagan. He also declared Aug. 14 as "Navajo Code Talkers Day." On Dec. 21, 2000, Congress passed a public law awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to 29 of the World War II Navajo veterans. In July of 2001, President George W. Bush personally presented the same medal to four surviving code talkers. Additionally, 18 Choctaw Code Talkers posthumously received the Texas Medal of Valor from the Adjutant General of the State of Texas for their World War I service. On Dec. 13, 2007, the Code Talker Recognition Act was introduced to the House of Representatives. This act recognizes every code talker that served the United States with a Congressional Gold Medal for their tribe with a silver medal duplicate for each veteran. These very unique languages or codes proved to be fundamental communications security capabilities during both World Wars. Due to the selfless service of these men, countless lives were saved, and many military victories were accomplished for the United States. Specifically, many Marines attribute the WWII victory at Iwo Jima to the service of these troops. Marine Maj. Howard Connor, a 5th Marine Division signal officer, had six Navajo Code Talkers working during the first forty-eight hours of the battle. These six men sent and received more than 800 messages, all without error. "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima," Major Connor said. November is a time to thank the Native American code talkers for their selfless service to the country, for the lives they saved and the unique capability they brought to the fight.