America Loses One of the Last WWII Navajo Code Talkers
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 4:06PM Last Tuesday night, January 3, 2012, Keith M. Little, president of the Navajo Code Talkers Foundation, died of cancer at the age of 87 in Fort Defiance, Arizona. He is survived by his wife, Nellie. Little served in the Navajo Code Talkers unit of the U.S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific and made significant contributions during many battles including Iwo Jima.
The Navajo Code Talkers unit was formed in early 1942 when the first 29 Navajo Code Talkers were recruited to send messages that the Japanese would be unable to decode. It was ingenious as it was effective. They could communicate in 20 seconds what took coding machines of the time 30 minutes to do. Only three of the Navajo Code Talkers are still with us.
Little took responsibility for safeguarding the memory of the 420 Navajo Code Talkers. He was a driving force behind the National Navajo Code Talkers Foundation and the National Navajo Code Talkers Museum & Veterans Center in Window Rock, AZ.
Founded in 2009, the Navajo Code Talkers Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating current and future generations about the history, ideals, and heroic accomplishments in World War II by the Navajo Code Talkers. The Foundation further sets out to preserve and pass on the unique Navajo language and the Navajo Code Talkers legacy.
The goal of the museum is to preserve their story in compelling detail through an educational environment, and interactive exhibits and activities. A state-of-the-art Veterans center will provide integrated services, resources and opportunities for all Armed Services Veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families. It will be a place to honor and celebrate the courageous deeds of all Americans and Native Americans, alike, in military service.
To learn more of Keith Little's amazing story, click here. To learn more about WWII Navajo Code Talkers or to make a donation, please visit navajocodetalkers.org.