Talk:Code talker

In Cherokee section

I believe there is value in a paragraph added by Sstrarke2, but it needs some further work. For the moment, I've moved it here:

"For the Cherokee tribe, there were records of over 40 warriors from their tribe who served in both world wars. However, the Cherokee tribe is very overlooked as one tribe that did contribute in the war effort as code talkers. There was only one account of any Cherokee who served as a code talker and it was during World War I. His name was George Adair and he was born in Braggs, Oklahoma. He served in the U.S. Army in September of 1917. He fought on the French line during World War I and he was put on the telephone service along with other code talkers."

• The first issue is that "the French line during World War I" may very well be the same place as described in the first paragraph, so the information may be redundant and needs to be better integrated with the first paragraph.
• Secondly, "There was only one account of any Cherokee who served as a code talker" Is a misinterpretation of the source article.
• Third, the text as it stands does not have a neutral point of view.

— Gorthian (talk)

In Navajo section: John Kinsel, Sr 1917-2024

There is a discrepancy in the description of the last 9 surviving members of the Navajo Code Talkers in this paragraph, which only names 8 men:

"Four of the last nine Navajo code talkers used in the military died in 2019: Alfred K. Newman died on January 13, 2019, at the age of 94. On May 10, 2019, Fleming Begaye Sr. died at the age of 97. New Mexico State Senator John Pinto, elected in 1977, died in office on May 24, 2019. William Tully Brown died in June 2019 aged 96. Joe Vandever Sr. died at 96 on January 31, 2020. Samuel Sandoval died on 29 July 2022, at the age of 98. Only two remaining members are still living as of 2024, Thomas H. Began and Peter MacDonald."

This article lists two still alive in 2024, which is true as of today, but only because the ninth member, John Kinsel, Sr., has disappeared from the list.

An article in the Navajo Times by Donovan Quintero from Aug 15 2024 states that, as of 2001, there were four surviving members of the Navajo Code Talkers who received Congressional Gold Medals (awarded by President Clinton in 2000 and presented by George W. Bush in 2001). Of those, three were still alive in 2024.

I suggest that his name be included in the list of 9, with his death date of Oct 18 or 19, 2024.

It would also seem appropriate to add his name to Recent Deaths.

Here is the relevant section of the August article:

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Navajo Code Talkers Day

However, the significance of their work remained unrecognized until the operation was declassified in 1968. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan honored the code talkers by declaring August 14 as “Navajo Code Talkers Day” and awarding them a Certificate of Recognition.

Subsequently, in 2000, President Bill Clinton signed legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the original 29 Code Talkers, with President George W. Bush presenting the medals to the four surviving members during a ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda in July 2001.

Joining the president for the signing of the proclamation was Arizona Representative Eli Crane, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Chief Justice JoAnn Jayne, and Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm, the Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

There are three surviving members of the Navajo Code Talkers: Thomas H. Begay, 99, John Kinsel Jr., 107, and Peter MacDonald Sr., 96.

The commemoration concluded with a gourd dance, honoring the legacy of the Marines and veterans alike.

Kinsel, who did not attend, recently celebrated the renovation of the home he built after returning from the war. Begay, who also did not attend, was recognized during the 21st Annual Native American Basketball Invitational in July which he attended.

https://navajotimes.com/reznews/national-navajo-code-talkers-day-navajo-code-talkers-honored-in-tseghahoodzani/

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The Navajo Times for Oct 20, 2024 reports that the code talker not named in the Wikipedia, John Kinsel age 107, was reported as having died on Oct 19th 2024. https://navajotimes.com/reznews/navajo-code-talker-john-kinsel-sr-passes-away-at-107/ Closcholar (talk) 17:22, 20 October 2024 (UTC)