Poet Del “Abe” Jones, author of “Of Native American,” a book of Native American poetry gave us permission to post his poem “Navajo Code Talkers.” We thank him for his support and recognition of the Navajo Code Talkers.

Navajo Code Talkers

In May of Nineteen forty-two
The first of those Talkers came to be
At Camp Pendelton, California
They formed that special “Dictionary”.

During the First World War
When the Choctaw was used some
A white man raised on the Res
Thought Navajo might be the one.

He’d served in the First War
And he knew we’d sought a way
To send messages amongst the Troops
That no one else knew how to say.

A code in an unwritten language
With no symbols or letter
That only those who spoke it knew
So, what else could be better?

Twenty nine Navajo recruits
Created each new cryptic word
Of Military terms and words
Not understood when they were heard.

The Talkers had to memorize
Each and every word to be used
Knowing they had the important task
Of keeping the enemy confused.

Around four hundred Navajo
Were a part of this unique plan
To speak and send those messages
Which only they could understand.

They were Marines of a special kind
And one of the Generals said
Without the Code Talkers expertise
Iwo would have been lost, instead.

There were many other Victories
Some, we’ll probably hear about
Probably, many more lives saved
They served the Corps well, without doubt..

Finally in Nineteen ninety-two
With half a century passed
Our Nation recognized their Service
And they were honored, at last.

An exhibit at the Pentagon
Now a chance to be on a quarter
Please vote to make that happen
For, much more praise is in order.

–Del “Abe” Jones

Navajo Code Talkers© 1984 Del “Abe” Jones