Begay is a member of the Navajo Nation. He grew up in New Mexico, where his family spoke only Navajo. As a young boy, he knew just one English word—his first name.

That changed when he was about 13. That’s when Begay was sent to a boarding school. Hundreds of thousands of Native kids attended similar schools. They were forced to give up their cultures and were not allowed to speak their Native languages. 

While Begay was away at school, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. That’s a U.S. military base in Hawaii. The next day, December 8, 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. 

Like many Americans, Begay wanted to join the fight. Nearly two years later, when he was 17, Begay enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. When he got to training camp, he found out he was going to be a code talker. 

U.S. troops needed a code to send messages about battle plans. It had to be hard to understand so the enemy could not decipher it. Since very few people spoke the Navajo language, the military decided it would be perfect for a code. Navajo men who were once punished for speaking their Native language would now use it to help the U.S. 

Begay spent months memorizing the code and creating new words. By the end of the war, the code had more than 500 words.

Begay is a member of the Navajo Nation. He grew up in New Mexico. His family spoke only Navajo. As a young boy, he knew just one English word—his first name.

That changed when Begay was sent to a boarding school. He was about 13. Hundreds of thousands of Native kids went to similar schools. They were forced to give up their cultures. And they were not allowed to speak their Native languages. 

While Begay was at school, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. That’s a U.S. military base in Hawaii. The next day, December 8, 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. 

Begay wanted to join the fight. Nearly two years later, when he was 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. At training camp, he found out his job. He would be a code talker. 

U.S. troops needed a code to send battle plans. It had to be hard to understand so the enemy could not decipher it. Few people spoke the Navajo language. So the military decided it would be perfect for a code. Navajo men were once punished for speaking their Native language. But they would now use it to help the U.S.  

Begay memorized the code and created new words. It took months. By the end of the war, the code had more than 500 words.

In February 1945, Begay was shipped off to Iwo Jima. 

“I was scared that I was going to die,” he remembers.

Begay carried his heavy radio across the island as bullets flew by. In the first two days of battle, the code talkers sent more than 800 messages. 

“It was nonstop, calls coming in and going out all the time,” Begay says. 

The Japanese were never able to crack the code. After more than a month, the U.S. won the battle. 

In February 1945, Begay arrived at Iwo Jima.  

“I was scared that I was going to die,” he says.

Bullets flew by. Begay carried his heavy radio across the island. In the first two days of battle, the code talkers sent more than 800 messages. 

“It was nonstop, calls coming in and going out all the time,” Begay says. 

The Japanese never cracked the code. After more than a month, the U.S. won the battle. 

Japan surrendered in August 1945, ending World War II. In 2001, Begay and the other Navajo code talkers were honored by Congress for their heroic service.

To this day, the Navajo code is the only spoken U.S. military code that has never been broken. Begay is proud of his role in World War II.

“I didn’t ask to be a code talker,” he says. “But I was a Navajo at a time when the United States needed Navajos.”

Japan surrendered in August 1945, ending World War II. In 2001, Navajo code talkers were honored by Congress for their bravery.

The Navajo code is the only spoken U.S. military code that has never been broken. Begay is proud of his role in World War II.

“I didn’t ask to be a code talker,” he says. “But I was a Navajo at a time when the United States needed Navajos.”

1. According to the article, what problem did the U.S. military face during World War II, and how did the Navajo code talkers provide a solution?

2. What is one quality you think the Navajo code talkers needed while serving on the battlefield? Explain.

3. What is the purpose of the map that appears on page 3?

1. According to the article, what problem did the U.S. military face during World War II, and how did the Navajo code talkers provide a solution?

2. What is one quality you think the Navajo code talkers needed while serving on the battlefield? Explain.

3. What is the purpose of the map that appears on page 3?