During World Wars I and II, the United States military used select Native American service men to relay secret battle messages based on words from their traditional tribal languages. “Code Talkers,” as they came to be known, are
twentieth–century heroes. Although the Nʉmʉnʉʉ (Comanche) language was utilized in battle during WWI, it wasn’t until WWII that an organized code was developed. Twenty-one Comanche men were hand-picked by the U.S. Government to participate in the WWII Code Talker program. Seventeen of those men went on to enlist in the U.S. Army and received training as radio operators and line repairmen with the 4th Infantry Division. During this time, the Army gave them free rein to develop secret Comanche code words that no one outside the group would be able to understand, including other Comanches. The move proved successful. It took a military machine up to four hours to transmit and decode a message, but a Comanche Code Talker could decode the same message in less than three minutes. Their codes were never broken.

Comanche Code Talkers of World War II:

Cpl. Charles Chibitty
T/4 Haddon Codynah
T/5 Robert Holder
Cpl. Forrest Kassanavoid
T/5 Wellington Mihecoby
Pvt. Albert (Edward) Nahquaddy, Jr.
Pvt. Perry Noyabad
T/5 Clifford Otitivo
T/5 Simmons Parker
Pvt. Melvin Permansu
Pvt. Elgin Red Elk
Pfc. Roderick Red Elk
Pfc. Larry Saupitty
Anthony Tabbytite
T/4 Morris Tabbyetchy
Pfc. Ralph Wahnee
T/5 Willis Yackeschi