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Navajo Code Talkers
The code that was never broken
Source: Department of the Navy
President George W. Bush honored Navajo Code Talkers in July 2001.
Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima: the Navajo code talkers took part in every assault the U.S. Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. They served in all Marine divisions, transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native languagea code that the Japanese never broke.
Why Navajo?
The idea to use Navajo for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary to the Navajos and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke their language fluently. Johnston, reared on the Navajo reservation, was a World War I veteran who knew of the military's search for a code that would withstand all attempts to decipher it. He also knew that Native American languages notably Choctaw had been used in World War I to encode messages.
Johnston believed Navajo answered the military requirement for an undecipherable code because Navajo is an unwritten language of extreme complexity. Its syntax and tonal qualities, not to mention dialects, make it unintelligible to anyone without extensive exposure and training. It has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest.
Creating a Code
Early in 1942, Johnston met with Major General Clayton B. Vogel, the commanding general of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, and his staff to convince them of the Navajo language's value as code. Johnston staged tests under simulated combat conditions, demonstrating that Navajos could encode, transmit, and decode a three-line English message in 20 seconds. Convinced, Vogel recommended to the commandant of the Marine Corps that the Marines recruit 200 Navajos.
In 1942, there were about 50,000 Navajo tribe members. As of 1945, about 540 Navajos served as Marines. From 375 to 420 of those trained as code talkers; the rest served in other capacities.
In May 1942, the first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp. Then, at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, this first group created the Navajo code. They developed a dictionary and numerous words for military terms. The dictionary and all code words had to be memorized during training. Once a Navajo code talker completed his training, he was sent to a Marine unit deployed in the Pacific theater.
The Navajo Code Talker's Dictionary
When a Navajo code talker received a message, what he heard was a string of seemingly unrelated Navajo words. The code talker first had to translate each Navajo word into its English equivalent. Then he used only the first letter of the English equivalent in spelling. Thus, the Navajo words "wol-la-chee" (ant), "be-la-sana" (apple) and "tse-nill" (axe) all stood for the letter "a." One way to say the word "Navy" in Navajo code would be "tsah (needle) wol-la-chee (ant) ah-keh-di-glini (victor) tsah-ah-dzoh (yucca)."
Not all words had to be spelled out letter by letter. The developers of the original code assigned Navajo words to represent about 450 frequently used military terms that did not exist in the Navajo language. Several examples: "besh-lo" (iron fish) meant "submarine," "dah-he-tih-hi" (hummingbird) meant "fighter plane" and "debeh-li-zine" (black street) meant "squad."
Success in the Pacific
Praise for their skill, speed and accuracy accrued throughout the war. At Iwo Jima, Major Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division signal officer, declared, "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima." Connor had six Navajo code talkers working around the clock during the first two days of the battle. Those six sent and received more than 800 messages, all without error.
The Japanese, who were skilled code breakers, remained baffled by the Navajo language. The Japanese chief of intelligence, Lieutenant General Seizo Arisue, said that while they were able to decipher the codes used by the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, they never cracked the code used by the Marines.
Department of Defense Honors Navajo Veterans
Long unrecognized because of the continued value of their language as a security classified code, the Navajo code talkers of World War II were honored for their contributions to defense on Sept. 17, 1992, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Thirty-five code talkers, all veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps, attended the dedication of the Navajo code talker exhibit. The exhibit includes a display of photographs, equipment and the original code, along with an explanation of how the code worked.
20th Century Warriors: Native American Participation in the United States Military
(Prepared for the United States Department of Defense by CEHIP Incorporated, Washington, DC, in partnership with Native American advisors, Rodger Bucholz, William Fields, Ursula P. Roach. Washington: Department of Defense, 1996.)
Related resources:
American Indian Medal of Honor Winners
Navajo Code Talkers in World War II: A Bibliography
Navajo Code Talker Fact Sheet
Navajo Code Talker Dictionary A Long Tradition Of Participation
American Indians have participated with distinction in United States military actions for more than 200 years. Their courage, determination, and fighting spirit were recognized by American military leaders as early as the 18th century.
I think they [Indians]can be made of excellent use, as scouts and light troops. --Gen. George Washington, 1778
Many tribes were involved in the War of 1812, and Indians fought for both sides as auxiliary troops in the Civil War. Scouting the enemy was recognized as a particular skill of the Native American soldier. In 1866, the U.S. Army established its Indian Scouts to exploit this aptitude. The Scouts were active in the American West in the late 1800s and early 1900s, accompanying Gen. John J. Pershing's expedition to Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa in 1916. They were deactivated in 1947 when their last member retired from the Army in ceremonies at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. Native Americans from Indian Territory were also recruited by Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and saw action in Cuba in the Spanish-American War in 1898. As the military entered the 20th century, American Indians had already made a substantial contribution through military service and were on the brink of playing an even larger role.
Contributions In Combat It is estimated that more than 12,000 American Indians served in the United States military in World War I. Approximately 600 Oklahoma Indians, mostly Choctaw and Cherokee, were assigned to the 142nd Infantry of the 36th Texas-Oklahoma National Guard Division. The 142nd saw action in France and its soldiers were widely recognized for their contributions in battle. Four men from this unit were awarded the Croix de Guerre , while others received the Church War Cross for gallantry. The outbreak of World War II brought American Indians warriors back to the battlefield in defense of their homeland. Although now eligible for the draft by virtue of the Snyder Act, which gave citizenship to American Indians in 1924, conscription alone does not account for the disproportionate number of Indians who joined the armed services. More than 44,000 American Indians, out of a total Native American population of less than 350,000, served with distinction between 1941 and 1945 in both European and Pacific theaters of war. Native American men and women on the home front also showed an intense desire to serve their country, and were an integral part of the war effort. More than 40,000 Indian people left their reservations to work in ordnance depots, factories, and other war industries. American Indians also invested more than $50 million in war bonds, and contributed generously to the Red Cross and the Army and Navy Relief societies. Battle-experienced American Indian troops from World War II were joined by newly recruited Native Americans to fight Communist aggression during the Korean conflict. The Native American's strong sense of patriotism and courage emerged once again during the Vietnam era. More than 42,000 Native Americans, more than 90 percent of them volunteers, fought in Vietnam. Native American contributions in United States military combat continued in the 1980s and 1990s as they saw duty in Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and the Persian Gulf. Native Americans As Warriors As the 20th century comes to a close, there are nearly 190,00 Native American military veterans. It is well recognized that, historically, Native Americans have the highest record of service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups. The reasons behind this disproportionate contribution are complex and deeply rooted in traditional American Indian culture. In many respects, Native Americans are no different from others who volunteer for military service. They do, however, have distinctive cultural values which drive them to serve their country. One such value is their proud warrior tradition. In part, the warrior tradition is a willingness to engage the enemy in battle. This characteristic has been clearly demonstrated by the courageous deeds of Native Americans in combat. However, the warrior tradition is best exemplified by the following qualities said to be inherent to most if not all Native American societies: strength, honor, pride, devotion, and wisdom. These qualities make a perfect fit with military tradition. Strength To be an American Indian warrior is to have physical, mental, and spiritual strength. A warrior must be prepared to overpower the enemy and face death head-on.
We honor our veterans for their bravery and because by seeing death on the battlefield, they truly know the greatness of life. --Winnebago Elder American Indian soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have fought heroically in all of this century's wars and armed conflicts. They have not only been formally recognized for their bravery through military decoration but through anecdotal observation as well.
The real secret which makes the Indian such an outstanding soldier is his enthusiasm for the fight. --U.S. Army Major, 1912
More important, however, is the warrior's spiritual strength. Many traditional cultures recognize that war disrupts the natural order of life and causes a spiritual disharmony. To survive the chaos of war is to gain a more intimate knowledge of life. Therefore, military service is a unique way to develop an inner strength that is valued in Native American society.
Having a strong sense of inner spirituality is also a part of the Indian character. Many Native Americans are raised on rural or remote reservations, an environment that fosters self- reliance, introspection, and a meditative way of thinking. These character traits can be very beneficial when adapting to the occasional isolation of military life in times of both peace and war. Honor, Pride, Devotion Warriors are honored - honored by their family and their tribe. Before going into service and upon their return, warriors are recognized by family and community. Recognition takes place through private family gatherings, or through such public ceremonies as tribal dances or intertribal ceremonies.
My people honored me as a warrior. We had a feast and my parents and grandparents thanked everyone who prayed for my safe return. We had a "special" [dance] and I remembered as we circled the drum, I got a feeling of pride. I felt good inside because that's the way the Kiowa people tell you that you've done well. --Kiowa Vietnam Veteran
Being a warrior in traditional American Indian society gives one a sense of pride and a sense of accomplishment at a time in life when self-esteem is just developing. Becoming a warrior brings status to young men and women in their culture. The ceremonies that honor the warrior create a special place in the tribe's spiritual world.
After I got home, my uncles sat me down and had me tell them what it [the war] was all about. One of them had been in the service in World War II and knew what war was like. We talked about what went on over there, about killing and the waste, and one of my uncles said that God's laws are against war. They never talked about those kinds of things with me before. --Cherokee Vietnam Veteran United States military service provides an outlet for Native Americans to fulfill a cultural purpose rooted in tradition -- to fight and defend their homeland. This purpose is particularly important since it comes when young people of the tribe are normally not old enough to assume a leadership role in their traditional culture. The cultural expectation to be a warrior provides a purpose in life and is an important step in gaining status in Native America culture.
When I went to Germany, I never thought about war honors, or the four "coups" which an old-time Crow warrior had to earn in battle....But afterwards, when I came back and went through this telling of war deeds ceremony... lo and behold I [had]completed the four requirements to become a chief. --Crow World War II Veteran
Native American warriors are devoted to the survival of their people and their homeland. If necessary, warriors will lay down their lives for the preservation of their culture, for death to the American Indian warrior is but another step in the advancement of life. It is understood that the warrior's spirit lives on eternally. So, warriors do not fear death, but rather regard it as the ultimate sacrifice for their own and their people's continued survival. Wisdom The warrior seeks wisdom. Wisdom, as used in this context, means the sum total of formal learning and worldly experiences. In wartime, those Native Americans seeing heavy combat had to learn how to survive, often using skills that may unit commanders thought were inherent to the American Indian's cultural background. A Sac and Fox/Creek Korean veteran remarked:
My platoon commander always sent me out on patrols. He. . . probably thought that I could track down the enemy. I don't know for sure, but I guess he figured that Indians were warriors and hunters by nature.
Many American Indians (as well as non-Indian volunteers) joined the military in World War I to satisfy their sense of adventure. Most had never left the confines of their hometown, much less marched on the battlefields of Europe. These experiences provided a wisdom through exposure to other people and cultures. This was sometimes threatening to the elders of a tribe, who feared that this newfound worldliness would cause unwanted change to their culture. Over time, however, this wisdom of worldly events and peoples was accepted by tribal leaders. Today, Native Americans are increasingly exposed to the non- Indian world through movies and television. Although the military is still an avenue for seeing the world, it has, in the latter half of the 20th century, also provided other types of wisdom. Military service offers excellent educational and job skill opportunities for Native American me and women who frequently come from educationally disadvantaged communities. Wisdom can also be gained from interaction with others. Military policy in the 20th century has preferred assimilating the American Indian into regular units. Although some divisions had more Native American troops than others, there were never all-Indian units. This meant that Indians and non-Indians were placed in close-knit groups, perhaps each experiencing each other's culture up close for the first time.
There was a camaraderie [in the Air Force] that transcends ethnicity when you serve your country overseas in wartime. --Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Cheyenne Korean veteran
Similarly, intertribal relationships were developed, sometimes with a person who was a traditional "enemy." Many times these intercultural and intertribal contacts broke through stereotypes and resulted in lifelong friendships, friendships that otherwise might never have been cultivated.
Thanks to my military service [in the Navy], I now have friends in 500 tribes . --Lakota Korean veteran The Warrior Tradition Carries On The requirements for successful military service -- strength, bravery, pride, and wisdom - match those of the Indian warrior. Military service affords an outlet for combat that fulfills a culturally determined role for the warrior. Therefore, the military is an opportunity for cultural self-fulfillment. By sending young tribal members off to be warriors, they return with experiences that make them valued members of their society. Finally, the military provides educational opportunities, which allow Native American veterans to return to their community with productive job skills to improve their quality of life.
With the 21st century on the horizon, the United States military can be expected to provide continuing opportunity for Native American men and women. For their part, Native Americans can be expected to carry on their centuries-old warrior tradition- serving with pride, courage, and distinction. American Indian Medal of Honor Winners In the 20th century, five American Indians have been among those soldiers to be distinguished by receiving the United States' highest military honor: the Medal of Honor. Given for military heroism "above and beyond the call of duty," these warriors exhibited extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy and, in two cases, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Jack C. Montgomery. A Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds. On 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery's rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces, when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, taking prisoners in the process. As a result of his courage, Montgomery's actions demoralized the enemy and inspired his men to defeat the Axis troops.
Ernest Childers. A Creek from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division. Childers received the Medal of Honor for heroic action in 1943 when, up against machine gun fire, he and eight men charged the enemy. Although suffering a broken foot in the assault, Childers ordered covering fire and advanced up the hill, single-handedly killing two snipers, silencing two machine gun nests, and capturing an enemy mortar observer.
Van Barfoot. A Choctaw from Mississippi, and a Second Lieutenant in the Thunderbirds. On 23 May 1944, during the breakout from Anzio to Rome, Barfoot knocked out two machine gun nests and captured 17 German soldiers. Later that same day, he repelled a German tank assault, destroyed a Nazi fieldpiece and while returning to camp carried two wounded commanders to safety.
Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. A Winnebago from Wisconsin, and a Corporal in Company E., 19th Infantry Regiment in Korea. On 5 November 1950, Red Cloud was on a ridge guarding his company command post when he was surprised by Chinese communist forces. He sounded the alarm and stayed in his position firing his automatic rifle and point-blank to check the assault. This gave his company time to consolidate their defenses. After being severely wounded by enemy fire, he refused assistance and continued firing upon the enemy until he was fatally wounded. His heroic action prevented the enemy from overrunning his company's position and gained time for evacuation of the wounded.
Charles George. A Cherokee from North Carolina, and Private First Class in Korea when he was killed on 30 November 1952. During battle, George threw himself upon a grenade and smothered it with his body. In doing so, he sacrificed his own life but saved the lives of his comrades. For this brave and selfless act, George was posthumously award the Medal of Honor in 1954. Navajo Code Talkers: A Select Bibliography
Related Resources:
Native Americans in the U.S. Military
Navajo Code Talker Fact Sheet
Navajo Code Talker Dictionary
Bernstein, Alison R. American Indians and World War II: Toward a New Era in Indian Affairs Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.
Bixler, Margaret T. Winds of Freedom: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. Darien, CT: Two Bytes Pub. Co., 1992.
"Comanches Again Called for Army Code Service." New York Times (13 Dec. 1940): 16.
Davis, Goode, Jr. "Proud Tradition of the Marines' Navajo Code Talkers: They Fought With Words-Words No Japanese Could Fathom." Marine Corps League 46, no.1 (Spring 1990): 16-26.
"DOD Hails Indian Code Talkers." Sea Services Weekly (27 Nov. 1992): 9-10.
Donovan, Bill. "Navajo Code Talkers Made History Without Knowing It." Arizona Republic (14 Aug. 1992): B6.
Hafford, William E. "The Navajo Code Talkers." Arizona Highways 65, no.2 (Feb. 1989): 36-45.
Hirschfelder, Arlene and Martha Kreipe de Montano. The Native American Almanac: A Portrait of Native America Today . New York: Prentice Hall, 1993. OCLC 27813313. [See pp. 227-36, "Native American and Military Service," which includes some statistics on participation in 20th Century Wars; a list of Medal of Honor winners; short histories of Navajo, Comanche, and Choctaw code talkers; a brief bibliography of literature concerning veterans; and an extrememly incomplete list of Navy ships named for Native American people, tribes, place names, and other words from Indian languages.]
Jere, Franco. Patriotism on Trial: Native Americans in World War II. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1990.
Kahn, David. The Codebreakers. New York: Macmillan, 1967.
See pp. 549-50.
Kawano, Kenji. Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Pub. Co., 1990.
King, Jodi A. "DOD Dedicates Code Talkers Display" Pentagram (24 Sep. 1992): 3.
Langille, Vernon. "Indian War Call." Leatherneck 31, No.3 (Mar.1948): 37-40.
Marder, Murrey. "Navajo Code Talkers." Marine Corps Gazette (Sep. 1945): 10-11.
Marine Corps University Libraries. Navajo Code Talkers FAQ
McCoy, Ron. "Navajo Code Talkers of World War II: Indian Marines Befuddled the Enemy." American West 18, no.6 (Nov./Dec. 1981): 67-73, 75.
National Archives, People at War, New Roles: The Codetalkers. [Letter from Philip Johnson which convinced the Commandant of teh Mrine Corps to employ Navajo Indians as radiomen to provide secure communications.]
Paul, Doris Atkinson. The Navajo Code Talkers. Philadelphia: Dorance, 1973.
"Pentagon Ceremony Praises American Indians." Crosswind (13 Nov.1992): 14-15.
"Pentagon Honors Navajos, Code Nobody Could Break." Arizona Republic (18 Sep. 1992): A9.
Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. "Carl Gorman, Code Talker in World War II, Dies at 90," New York Times (1 Feb. 1998): 27.
USMC. Navajo Dictionary. 15 June 1945. (Code word dictionary).
Watson, Bruce. "Navajo Code Talkers: A Few Good Men." Smithsonian 24, no.5 (Aug. 1993): 34-40, 42-43. Unpublished Sources: Item in The Navy Department Library Vertical File
Reference Section, History and Museums Division, HQMC. "Navajo Code Talkers in World War II." 14 May 1982. 2 pp. Archival Records Relating to Navajo Code Talker, World War II
Marine Corps Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC. 20374-0580. Tel.(202)433-3841.
Oral interviews with former Navajo code talkers during the first reunion of Navajo Code Talkers of World War II at Window Rock AZ, 9-10 July 1971.
Marine Corps Oral History Program:
John Benally, 32 pp; Judge W. Dean Wilson (William Dean Yazzie), 20 pp; Paul Blatchford, 27 pp; Sidney Bedoni, 13 pp; Alex Williams, Sr., 21 pp; Carl Gorman, 3 pp; Wilfred Billey, 13 pp, Jimmy King, Sr.,36 pp.
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA):
Textual Reference Branch, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740.
(301)713-7250.
RG 127. Entry 18. Office of the Commandant-General Correspondence (Jan. 1939-Jun. 1950):
File #1535-75, folders: 13-14, 17-20.
File #2185-20, folder 4.
RG 457. Utilization of American Indians as Communications Linguists. Special Research History (SRH) #120, 107 pp.
Navajo Code Talkers: World War II Fact Sheet
Research by Alexander Molnar Jr., U.S. Marine Corps/U.S. Army (Ret.)
Prepared by the Navy & Marine Corps WWII Commemorative Committee
Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima: the Navajo code talkers took part in every assault the U.S. Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine Raider battalions and Marine parachute units, transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native language -- a code that the Japanese never broke. The idea to use Navajo for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary to the Navajos and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke their language fluently. Johnston, reared on the Navajo reservation, was a World War I veteran who knew of the military's search for a code that would withstand all attempts to decipher it. He also knew that Native American languages--notably Choctaw--had been used in World War I to encode messages. Johnston believed Navajo answered the military requirement for an undecipherable code because Navajo is an unwritten language of extreme complexity. Its syntax and tonal qualities, not to mention dialects, make it unintelligible to anyone without extensive exposure and training. It has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest. One estimate indicates that less than 30 non-Navajos, none of them Japanese, could understand the language at the outbreak of World War II. Early in 1942, Johnston met with Major General Clayton B. Vogel, the commanding general of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, and his staff to convince them of the Navajo language's value as code. Johnston staged tests under simulated combat conditions, demonstrating that Navajos could encode, transmit, and decode a three-line English message in 20 seconds. Machines of the time required 30 minutes to perform the same job. Convinced, Vogel recommended to the Commandant of the Marine Corps that the Marines recruit 200 Navajos. In May 1942, the first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp. Then, at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, this first group created the Navajo code. They developed a dictionary and numerous words for military terms. The dictionary and all code words had to be memorized during training. Once a Navajo code talker completed his training, he was sent to a Marine unit deployed in the Pacific theater. The code talkers' primary job was to talk, transmitting information on tactics and troop movements, orders and other vital battlefield communications over telephones and radios. They also acted as messengers, and performed general Marine duties. Praise for their skill, speed and accuracy accrued throughout the war. At Iwo Jima, Major Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division signal officer, declared, "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima." Connor had six Navajo code talkers working around the clock during the first two days of the battle. Those six sent and received over 800 messages, all without error. The Japanese, who were skilled code breakers, remained baffled by the Navajo language. The Japanese chief of intelligence, Lieutenant General Seizo Arisue, said that while they were able to decipher the codes used by the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, they never cracked the code used by the Marines. The Navajo code talkers even stymied a Navajo soldier taken prisoner at Bataan. (About 20 Navajos served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines.) The Navajo soldier, forced to listen to the jumbled words of talker transmissions, said to a code talker after the war, "I never figured out what you guys who got me into all that trouble were saying." In 1942, there were about 50,000 Navajo tribe members. As of 1945, about 540 Navajos served as Marines. From 375 to 420 of those trained as code talkers; the rest served in other capacities. Navajo remained potentially valuable as code even after the war. For that reason, the code talkers, whose skill and courage saved both American lives and military engagements, only recently earned recognition from the Government and the public.
The Navajo Code Talker's Dictionary When a Navajo code talker received a message, what he heard was a string of seemingly unrelated Navajo words. The code talker first had to translate each Navajo word into its English equivalent. Then he used only the first letter of the English equivalent in spelling an English word. Thus, the Navajo words "wol-la-chee" (ant), "be-la-sana" (apple) and "tse-nill" (axe) all stood for the letter "a." One way to say the word "Navy" in Navajo code would be "tsah (needle) wol-la-chee (ant) ah-keh-di- glini (victor) tsah-ah-dzoh (yucca)." Most letters had more than one Navajo word representing them. Not all words had to be spelled out letter by letter. The developers of the original code assigned Navajo words to represent about 450 frequently used military terms that did not exist in the Navajo language. Several examples: "besh- lo" (iron fish) meant "submarine," "dah-he- tih-hi" (hummingbird) meant "fighter plane" and "debeh-li-zine" (black street) meant "squad."
Department of Defense Honors Navajo Veterans Long unrecognized because of the continued value of their language as a security classified code, the Navajo code talkers of World War II were honored for their contributions to defense on Sept. 17, 1992, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Thirty-five code talkers, all veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps, attended the dedication of the Navajo code talker exhibit. The exhibit includes a display of photographs, equipment and the original code, along with an explanation of how the code worked. Dedication ceremonies included speeches by the then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Donald Atwood, U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona and Navajo President Peterson Zah. The Navajo veterans and their families traveled to the ceremony from their homes on the Navajo Reservation, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Navajo code talker exhibit is a regular stop on the Pentagon tour. CODE TALKER -- Carl Gorman -- one of the Navajo Code Talkers of World War Two -- recently died of cancer, at the age of 90. The Code Talkers played an instrumental role in the U.S. efforts in the Pacific theatre of World War Two...hear about what they did in this remembrance of Gorman's role with the Code Talkers. Please be patient, may take a few moments to load. (Requires free "RealAudio" software.)
Navajo Code Talkers' Dictionary REVISED AS OF 15 JUNE 1945
(DECLASSIFIED UNDER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVE 5200.9)
ALPHABET NAVAJO WORD LITERAL TRANSLATION
A WOL-LA-CHEE ANT
A BE-LA-SANA APPLE
A TSE-NILL AXE
B NA-HASH-CHID BADGER
B SHUSH BEAR
B TOISH-JEH BARREL
C MOASI CAT
C TLA-GIN COAL
C BA-GOSHI COW
D BE DEER
D CHINDI DEVIL
D LHA-CHA-EH DOG
E AH-JAH EAR
E DZEH ELK
E AH-NAH EYE
F CHUO FIR
F TSA-E-DONIN-EE FLY
F MA-E FOX
G AH-TAD GIRL
G KLIZZIE GOAT
G JEHA GUM
H TSE-GAH HAIR
H CHA HAT
H LIN HORSE
I TKIN ICE
I YEH-HES ITCH
I A-CHI INTESTINE
J TKELE-CHO-G JACKASS
J AH-YA-TSINNE JAW
J YIL-DOI JERK
K JAD-HO-LONI KETTLE
K BA-AH-NE-DI-TININ KEY
K KLIZZIE-YAZZIE KID
L DIBEH-YAZZIE LAMB
L AH-JAD LEG
L NASH-DOIE-TSO LION
M TSIN-TLITI MATCH
M BE-TAS-TNI MIRROR
M NA-AS-TSO-SI MOUSE
N TSAH NEEDLE
N A-CHIN NOSE
O A-KHA OIL
O TLO-CHIN ONION
O NE-AHS-JAH OWL
P CLA-GI-AIH PANT
P BI-SO-DIH PIG
P NE-ZHONI PRETTY
Q CA-YEILTH QUIVER
R GAH RABBIT
R DAH-NES-TSA RAM
R AH-LOSZ RICE
S DIBEH SHEEP
S KLESH SNAKE
T D-AH TEA
T A-WOH TOOTH
T THAN-ZIE TURKEY
U SHI-DA UNCLE
U NO-DA-IH UTE
V A-KEH-DI-GLINI VICTOR
W GLOE-IH WEASEL
X AL-NA-AS-DZOH CROSS
Y TSAH-AS-ZIH YUCCA
Z BESH-DO-TLIZ ZINC
NAMES OF VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS NAVAJO WORD LITERAL TRANSLATION
CORPS DIN-NEH-IH CLAN
DIVISION ASHIH-HI SALT
REGIMENT TABAHA EDGE WATER
BATTALION TACHEENE RED SOIL
COMPANY NAKIA MEXICAN
PLATOON HAS-CLISH-NIH MUD
SECTION YO-IH BEADS
SQUAD DEBEH-LI-ZINI BLACK SHEEP
OFFICERS
COMMANDING GEN. BIH-KEH-HE (G) WAR CHIEF
MAJOR GEN. SO-NA-KIH TWO STAR
BRIGADIER GEN. SO-A-LA-IH ONE STAR
COLONEL ATSAH-BESH-LE-GAI SILVER EAGLE
LT. COLONEL CHE-CHIL-BE-TAH-BESH-LEGAI SILVER OAK LEAF
MAJOR CHE-CHIL-BE-TAH-OLA GOLD OAK LEAF
CAPTAIN BESH-LEGAI-NAH-KIH TWO SILVER BARS
LIEUTENANT BESH-LEGAI-A-LAH-IH ONE SILVER BAR
COMMANDING OFFICER HASH-KAY-GI-NA-TAH WAR CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER BIH-DA-HOL-NEHI THOSE IN CHARGE
NAMES OF COUNTRIES
AFRICA ZHIN-NI BLACKIES
ALASKA BEH-HGA WITH WINTER
AMERICA NE-HE-MAH OUR MOTHER
AUSTRALIA CHA-YES-DESI ROLLED HAT
BRITAIN TOH-TA BETWEEN WATERS
CHINA CEH-YEHS-BESI BRAIDED HAIR
FRANCE DA-GHA-HI BEARD
GERMANY BESH-BE-CHA-HE IRON HAT
ICELAND TKIN-KE-YAH ICE LAND
INDIA AH-LE-GAI WHITE CLOTHES
ITALY DOH-HA-CHI-YALI-TCHI STUTTER
JAPAN BEH-NA-ALI-TSOSIE SLANT EYE
PHILIPPINE KE-YAH-DA-NA-LHE FLOATING ISLAND
RUSSIA SILA-GOL-CHI-IH RED ARMY
SOUTH AMERICA SHA-DE-AH-NE-HI-MAH SOUTH OUR MOTHER
SPAIN DEBA-DE-NIH SHEEP PAIN
NAMES OF AIRPLANES
PLANES WO-TAH-DE-NE-IH AIR FORCE
DIVE BOMBER GINI CHICKEN HAWK
TORPEDO PLANE TAS-CHIZZIE SWALLOW
OBS. PLAN NE-AS-JAH OWL
FIGHTER PLANE DA-HE-TIH-HI HUMMING BIRD
BOMBER PLANE JAY-SHO BUZZARD
PATROL PLANE GA-GIH CROW
TRANSPORT ATSAH EAGLE
NAMES OF SHIPS
SHIPS TOH-DINEH-IH SEA FORCE
BATTLESHIP LO-TSO WHALE
AIRCRAFT TSIDI-MOFFA-YE-HI BIRD CARRIER
SUBMARINE BESH-LO IRON FISH
MINE SWEEPER CHA BEAVER
DESTROYER CA-LO SHARK
TRANSPORT DINEH-NAY-YE-HI MAN CARRIER
CRUISER LO-TSO-YAZZIE SMALL WHALE
MOSQUITO BOAT TSE-E MOSQUITO
NAMES OF MONTHS
JANUARY ATSAH-BE-YAZ SMALL EAGLE
FEBRUARY WOZ-CHEIND SQUEEKY VOICE
MARCH TAH-CHILL SMALL PLANT
APRIL TAH-TSO BIG PLANT
MAY TAH-TSOSIE SMALL PLANT
JUNE BE-NE-EH-EH-JAH-TSO BIG PLANTING
JULY BE-NE-TA-TSOSIE SMALL HARVEST
AUGUST BE-NEEN-TA-TSO BIG HARVEST
SEPTEMBER GHAW-JIH HALF
OCTOBER NIL-CHI-TSOSIE SMALL WIND
NOVEMBER NIL-CHI-TSO BIG WIND
DECEMBER YAS-NIL-TES CRUSTED SNOW
VOCABULARY
WORD NAVAJO LITERAL TRANSACTION
ABANDON YE-TSAN RUN AWAY FROM
ABOUT WOLA-CHI-A-MOFFA-GAHN ANT FIGHT
ABREAST WOLA-CHEE-BE-YIED ANT BREAST
ACCOMPLISH UL-SO ALL DONE
ACCORDING BE-KA-HO ACCORDING TO
ACKNOWLEDGE HANOT-DZIED ACKNOWLEDGE
ACTION AH-HA-TINH PLACE OF ACTION
ACTIVITY AH-HA-TINH-Y ACTION ENDING IN Y
ADEQUATE BEH-GHA ENOUGH
ADDITION IH-HE-DE-NDEL ADDITION
ADDRESS YI-CHIN-HA-TSE ADDRESS
ADJACENT BE-GAHI NEAR
ADJUST HAS-TAI-NEL-KAD ADJUST
ADVANCE NAS-SEY AHEAD
ADVISE NA-NETIN ADVISE
AERIAL BE-ZONZ STINGER
AFFIRMATIVE LANH AFFIRMATIVE
AFTER BI-KHA-DI (A) AFTER
AGAINST BE-NA-GNISH AGAINST
AID EDA-ELE-TSOOD AID
AIR NILCHI AIR
AIRDOME NILCHI-BEGHAN AIRDOME
ALERT HA-IH-DES-EE ALERT
ALL TA-A-TAH (A) ALL
ALLIES NIH-HI-CHO ALLIES
ALONG WOLACHEE-SNEZ LONG ANT
ALSO EH-DO ALSO
ALTERNATE NA-KEE-GO-NE-NAN-DEY-HE SECOND POSITION
AMBUSH KHAC-DA AMBUSH
AMMUNITION BEH-ELI-DOH-BE-CAH-ALI-TAS-AI AMMUNITION
AMPHIBIOUS CHAL FROG
AND DO AND
ANGLE DEE-CAHN SLANTING
ANNEX IH-NAY-TANI ADDITION
ANNOUNCE BEH-HA-O-DZE ANNOUNCE
ANTI WOL-LA-CHEE-TSIN ANT ICE
ANTICIPATE NI-JOL-LIH ANTICIPATE
ANY TAH-HA-DAH ANY
APPEAR YE-KA-HA-YA APPEAR
APPROACH BI-CHI-OL-DAH APPROACH
APPROXIMATE TO-KUS-DAN APPROXIMATE
ARE GAH-TSO BIG RABBIT
AREA HAZ-A-GIH AREA
ARMOR BESH-YE-HA-DA-DI-TEH IRON PROTECTOR
ARMY LEI-CHA-IH-YIL-KNEE-IH ARMY
ARRIVE IL-DAY ARRIVE
ARTILLERY BE-AL-DOH-TSO-LANI MANY BIG GUNS
AS AHCE AS
ASSAULT ALTSEH-E-JAH-HE FIRST STRIKER
ASSEMBLE DE-JI-KASH BUNCH TOGETHER
ASSIGN BAH-DEH-TAHN ASSIGN
AT AH-DI AT
ATTACK AL-TAH-JE-JAY ATTACK
ATTEMPT BO-O-NE-TAH (A) TRY
ATTENTION GIHA ATTENTION
AUTHENTICATOR HANI-BA-AH-HO-ZIN KNOW ABOUT
AUTHORIZE BE-BO-HO-SNEE AUTHORIZE
AVAILABLE TA-SHOZ-TEH-IH AVAILABLE
BAGGAGE KLAILH (B) BAGGAGE
BANZAI NE-TAH FOOL THEM
BARGE BESH-NA-ELT BARGE
BARRAGE BESH-BA-WA-CHIND BARRAGE
BARRIER BIH-CHAN-NI-AH IN THE WAY
BASE BIH-TSEE-DIH BASE
BATTERY BIH-BE-AL-DOH-TKA-IH THREE GUNS
BATTLE DA-AH-HI-DZI-TSIO BATTLE
BAY TOH-AH-HI-GHINH BAY
BAZOOKA AH-ZHOL BAZOOKA
BE TSES-NAH BEE
BEACH TAH-BAHN (B) BEACH
BEEN TSES-NAH-NES-CHEE BEE NUT
BEFORE BIH-TSE-DIH BEFORE
BEGIN HA-HOL-ZIZ COMMENCE FROM
BELONG TSES-NAH-SNEZ LONG BEE
BETWEEN BI-TAH-KIZ BETWEEN
BEYOND BILH-LA DI DOWN BELOW
BIVOUAC EHL-NAS-TEH BRUSH SHELTER
BOMB A-YE-SHI EGGS
BOOBY TRAP DINEH-BA-WHOA-BLEHI MAN TRAP
BORNE YE-CHIE-TSAH BORN ELK
BOUNDARY KA-YAH-BI-NA-HAS-DZOH(B) BOUNDARY
BULL DOZER DOLA-ALTH-WHOSH BULL SLEEP
BUNKER TSAS-KA SANDY HOLLOW
BUT NEH-DIH BUT
BY BE-GHA BY
CABLE BESH-LKOH WIRE ROPE
CALIBER NAHL-KIHD MOVE AROUND
CAMP TO-ALTSEH-HOGAN TEMPORARY PLACE
CAMOUFLAGE DI-NES-IH HID
CAN YAH-DI-ZINI CAN
CANNONEER BE-AL-DOH-TSO-DEY-DIL-DON-IGI BIG GUN OPERATOR
CAPACITY BE-NEL-AH CAPACITY
CAPTURE YIS-NAH CAPTURE
CARRY YO-LAILH CARRY
CASE BIT-SAH CASE
CASUALTY BIH-DIN-NE-DEY PUT OUT OF ACTION
CAUSE BI-NIH-NANI CAUSE
CAVE TSA-OND ROCK CAVE
CEILING DA-TEL-JAY SEAL
CEMETARY JISH-CHA AMONG DEVILS
CENTER ULH-NE-IH CENTER
CHANGE THLA-GO-A-NAT-ZAH CHANGE
CHANNEL HA-TALHI-YAZZIE SMALL SINGER
CHARGE AH-TAH-GI-JAH CHARGE
CHEMICAL TA-NEE ALKALI
CIRCLE NAS-PAS CIRCLE
CIRCUIT AH-HEH-HA-DAILH CIRCUIT
CLASS ALTH-AH-A-TEH CLASS
CLEAR YO-AH-HOL-ZHOD CLEAR
CLIFF TSE-YE-CHEE CLIFF
CLOSE UL-CHI-UH-NAL-YAH CLOSE
COAST GUARD TA-BAS-DSISSI SHORE RUNNER
CODE YIL-TAS PECK
COLON NAKI-ALH--DEH-DA-AL-ZHIN TWO SPOTS
COLUMN ALTH-KAY-NE-ZIH COLUMN
COMBAT DA-AH-HI-JIH-GANH FIGHTING
COMBINATION AL-TKAS-EI MIXED
COME HUC-QUO COME
COMMA TSA-NA-DAHL TAIL DROP
COMMERCIAL NAI-EL-NE-HI COMMERCIAL
COMMIT HUC-QUO-LA-JISH COME GLOVE
COMMUNICATION HA-NEH-AL-ENJI MAKING TALK
CONCEAL BE-KI-ASZ-JOLE CONCEAL
CONCENTRATION TA-LA-HI-JIH ONE PLACE
CONCUSSION WHE-HUS-DIL CONCUSSION
CONDITION AH-HO-TAI HOW IT IS
CONFERENCE BE-KE-YA-TI TALK OVER
CONFIDENTIAL NA-NIL-IN KEPT SECRET
CONFIRM TA-A-NEH MAKE SURE
CONQUER A-KEH-DES-DLIN WON
CONSIDER NE-TSA-CAS THINK IT OVER
CONSIST BILH (C) CONSIST
CONSOLIDATE AH-HIH-HI-NIL PUT TOGETHER
CONSTRUCT AHL-NEH TO MAKE
CONTACT AH-HI-DI-DAIL COME TOGETHER
CONTINUE TA-YI-TEH CONTINUE
CONTROL NAI-GHIZ CONTROL
CONVOY TKAL-KAH-O-NEL MOVING ON WATER
COORDINATE BEH-EH-HO-ZIN-NA-AS-DZOH KNOWN LINES
COUNTER ATTACK WOLTAH-AL-KI-GI-JEH COUNTER ACT
COURSE CO-JI-GOH COURSE
CRAFT AH-TOH NEST
CREEK TOH-NIL-TSANH VERY LITTLE WATER
CROSS AL-N-AS-DZOH CROSS
CUB SHUSH-YAHZ CUB
DASH US-DZOH DASH
DAWN HA-YELI-KAHN DAWN
DEFENSE AH-KIN-CIL-TOH DEFENSE
DEGREE NAHL-KIHD DEGREE
DELAY BE-SITIHN DEER LAY
DELIVER BE-BIH-ZIHDE DEER LIVER
DEMOLITION AH-DEEL-TAHI BLOW UP
DENSE HO-DILH-CLA (D) WET
DEPART DA-DE-YAH DEPART
DEPARTMENT HOGAN DEPARTMENT
DESIGNATE YE-KHI-DEL-NEI POINT OUT
DESPERATE AH-DA-AH-HO-DZAH DOWN TO LAST
DETACH AL-CHA-NIL DETACHED
DETAIL BE-BEH-SHA DEER TAIL
DETONATOR AH-DEEL-TAHI (OR) BLOWN UP
DIFFICULT NA-NE-KLAH DIFFICULT
DIG IN LE-EH-GADE DIG IN
DIRECT AH-JI-GO DIRECT
DISEMBARK EH-HA-JAY GET OUT
DISPATCH LA-CHAI-EN-SEIS-BE-JAY DOG IS PATCH
DISPLACE HIH-DO-NAL MOVE
DISPLAY BE-SEIS-NA-NEH DEER IS PLAY
DISPOSITION A-HO-TEY DISPOSITION
DISTRIBUTE NAH-NEH DISTRIBUTE
DISTRICT BE-THIN-YA-NI-CHE DEER ICE STRICT
DO TSE-LE SMALL PUP
DOCUMENT BEH-EH-HO-ZINZ DOCUMENT
DRIVE AH-NOL-KAHL DRIVE
DUD DI-GISS-YAHZIE SMALL DUMMY
DUMMY DI-GISS-TSO BIG DUMMY
EACH TA-LAHI-NE-ZINI-GO (D) EACH
ECHELON WHO-DZAH LINE
EDGE BE-BA-HI EDGE
EFFECTIVE BE-DELH-NEED EFFECTIVE
EFFORT YEA-GO WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT
ELEMENT AH-NA-NAI TROOP REPRESENTING OTHERS
ELEVATE ALI-KHI-HO-NE-OHA ELEVATE
ELIMINATE HA-BEH-TO-DZIL ELIMINATE
EMBARK EH-HO-JAY GET ON
EMERGENCY HO-NEZ-CLA EMERGENCY
EMPLACEMENT LA-AZ-NIL EMPLACEMENT
ENCIRCLE YE-NAS-TEH (E) ENCIRCLE
ENCOUNTER BI-KHANH GO AGAINST
ENGAGE A-HA-NE-HO-TA AGREED
ENGINE CHIDI-BI-TSI-TSINE (E) ENGINE
ENGINEER DAY-DIL-JAH-HE ENGINEER
ENLARGE NIH-TSA-GOH-AL-NEH MAKE BIG
ENLIST BIH-ZIH-A-DA-YI-LAH ENLIST
ENTIRE TA-A-TAH (E) ENTIRE
ENTRENCH E-GAD-AH-NE-LIH MAKE DITCH
ENVELOP A-ZAH-GI-YA ENVELOP
EQUIPMENT YA-HA-DE-TAHI EQUIPMENT
ERECT YEH-ZIHN STAND UP
ESCAPE A-ZEH-HA-GE-YAH ESCAPE
ESTABLISH HAS-TAY-DZAH ESTABLISH
ESTIMATE BIH-KE-TSE-HOD-DES-KEZ ESTIMATE
EVACUATE HA-NA EVACUATE
EXCEPT NEH-DIH (E) EXCEPT
EXCEPT NA-WOL-NE EXPECT
EXCHANGE ALH-NAHL-YAH EXCHANGE
EXECUTE A-DO-NIL EXECUTE
EXPLOSIVE AH-DEL-TAHI (E) EXPLOSIVE
EXPEDITE SHIL-LOH (E) SPEED UP
EXTEND NE-TDALE MAKE WIDE
EXTREME AL-TSAN-AH-BAHM EACH END
FAIL CHA-AL-EIND FAIL
FAILURE YEES-GHIN FAILURE
FARM MAI-BE-HE-AHGAN FOX ARM
FEED DZEH-CHI-YON FEED
FIELD CLO-DIH (F) FIELD
FIERCE TOH-BAH-HA-ZSID AFRAID
FILE BA-EH-CHEZ FILE
FINAL TAH-AH-KWO-DIH THAT IS ALL
FLAME THROWER COH-AH-GHIL-TLID FLAME THROWER
FLANK DAH-DI-KAD FLANK
FLARE WO-CHI LIGHT STREAK
FLIGHT MA-E-AS-ZLOLI FOX LIGHT
FORCE TA-NA-NE-LADI WITHOUT CARE
FORM BE-CHA FORM
FORMATION BE-CHA-YE-LAILH FORMATION
FORTIFICATION AH-NA-SOZI CLIFF DWELLING
FORTIFY AH-NA-SOZI-YAZZIE SMALL FORTIFICATION
FORWARD TEHI LET'S GO
FRAGMENTATION BESH-YAZZIE SMALL METAL
FREQUENCY HA-TALHI-TSO BIG SINGER
FRIENDLY NEH-HECHO-DA-NE FRIENDLY
FROM BI-TSAN-DEHN FROM
FURNISH YEAS-NIL (F) FURNISH
FURTHER WO-NAS-DI FURTHER
GARRISON YAH-A-DA-HAL-YON-IH TAKE CARE OF
GASOLINE CHIDI-BI-TOH GASOLINE
GRENADE NI-MA-SI POTATOES
GUARD NI-DIH-DA-HI GUARD
GUIDE NAH-E-THLAI GUIDE
HALL LHI-TA-A-TA HORSE ALL
HALF TRACK ALH-NIH-JAH-A-QUHE RACE TRACK
HALT TA-AKWAI-I HALT
HANDLE BET-SEEN HANDLE
HAVE JO HAVE
HEADQUARTER NA-HA-TAH-TA-BA-HOGAN HEADQUARTER
HELD WO-TAH-TA-EH-DAHN-OH HELD (PAST TENSE)
HIGH WO-TAH HIGH
HIGH EXPLOSIVE BE-AL-DOH-BE-CA-BIH-DZIL-IGI POWERFUL SHELL
HIGHWAY WO-TAH-HO-NE-TEH HIGH WAY
HOLD WO-TKANH HOLD
HOSPITAL A-ZEY-AL-IH PLACE OF MEDICINE
HOSTILE A-NAH-NE-DZIN NOT FRIENDLY
HOWITZER BE-EL-DON-TS-QUODI SHORT BIG GUN
ILLUMINATE WO-CHI (I) LIGHT UP
IMMEDIATELY SHIL-LOH (I) IMMEDIATELY
IMPACT A-HE-DIS-GOH IMPACT
IMPORTANT BA-HAS-TEH IMPORTANT
IMPROVE HO-DOL-ZHOND IMPROVE
INCLUDE EL-TSOD INCLUDE
INCREASE HO-NALH INCREASE
INDICATE BA-HAL-NEH TELL ABOUT
INFANTRY TA-NEH-NAL-DAHI INFANTRY
INFILTRATE YE-GHA-NE-JEH WENT THROUGH
INITIAL BEH-ED-DE-DLID BRAND
INSTALL EHD-TNAH INSTALL
INSTALLATION NAS-NIL IN PLACE
INSTRUCT NA-NE-TGIN TEACH
INTELLIGENCE HO-YA (I) SMART
INTENSE DZEEL STRENGTH
INTERCEPT YEL-NA-ME-JAH INTERCEPT
INTERFERE AH-NILH-KHLAI INTERFERE
INTERPRET AH-TAH-HA-NE INTERPRET
INVESTIGATE NA-ALI-KA TRACK
INVOLVE A-TAH INVOLVOE
IS SEIS SEVEN
ISLAND SEIS-KEYAH SEVEN ISLAND
ISOLATE BIH-TSA-NEL-KAD SEPERATE
JUNGLE WOH-DI-CHIL JUNGLE
KILL NAZ-TSAID KILL
KILOCYCLE NAS-TSAID-A-KHA-AH-YEH- KILL OIL GO AROUND
HA-DILH
LABOR NA-NISH (L) LABOR
LAND KAY-YAH LAND
LAUNCH TKA-GHIL-ZHOD LAUNCH
LEADER AH-NA-GHAI LEADER
LEAST DE-BE-YAZIE-HA-A-AH LAMB FEAST
LEAVE DAH-DE-YAH HE LEFT
LEFT NISH-CLA-JIH-GOH LEFT
LESS BI-OH (L) LESS
LEVEL DIL-KONH LEVEL
LIAISON DA-A-HE-GI-ENEH KNOW OTHER'S ACTION
LIMIT BA-HAS-AH LIMIT
LITTER NI-DAS-TON (L) SCATTER
LOCATE A-KWE-EH SPOT
LOSS UT-DIN LOSS
MACHINE GUN A-KNAH-AS-DONIH RAPID FIRE GUN
MAGNETIC NA-E-LAHI PICK UP
MANAGE HASTNI-BEH-NA-HAI MAN AGE
MANEUVER NA-NA-O-NALTH MOVING AROUND
MAP KAH-YA-NESH-CHAI MAP
MAXIMUM BEL-DIL-KHON FILL TO TOP
MECHANIC CHITI-A-NAYL-INIH AUTO REPAIRMAN
MECHANIZED CHIDI-DA-AH-HE-GONI FIGHTING CARS
MEDICAL A-ZAY MEDICINE
MEGACYCLE MIL-AH-HEH-AH-DILH MILLION GO AROUND
MERCHANT SHIP NA-EL-NEHI-TSIN-NA-AILH MERCHANT SHIP
MESSAGE HANE-AL-NEH MESSAGE
MILITARY SILAGO-KEH-GOH MILITARY
MILLIMETER NA-AS-TSO-SI-A-YE-DO-TISH DOUBLE MOUSE
MINE HA-GADE MINE
MINIMUM BE-OH (M) MINIMUM
MINUTE AH-KHAY-EL-KIT-YAZZIE LITTLE HOUR
MISSION AL-NESHODI MISSION
MISTAKE O-ZHI MISS
MOPPING HA-TAO-DI MOPPING
MORE THLA-NA-NAH MORE
MORTAR BE-AL-DOH-CID-DA-HI SITTING GUN
MOTION NA-HOT-NAH MOTION
MOTOR CHIDE-BE-TSE-TSEN CAR HEAD
NATIVE KA-HA-TENI NATIVE
NAVY TAL-KAH-SILAGO SEA SOLDIER
NECESSARY YE-NA-ZEHN WANT
NEGATIVE DO-YA-SHO-DA NO GOOD
NET NA-NES-DIZI NET
NEUTRAL DO-NEH-LINI NEUTRAL
NORMAL DOH-A-TA-H-DAH NORMAL
NOT NI-DAH-THAN-ZIE NO TURKEY
NOTICE NE-DA-TAZI-THIN NO TURKEY ICE
NOW KUT NOW
NUMBER BEH-BIH-KE-AS-CHINIGH WHAT'S WRITTEN
OBJECTIVE BI-NE-YEI GOAL
OBSERVE HAL-ZID OBSERVE
OBSTACLE DA-HO-DESH-ZHA OBSTACLE
OCCUPY YEEL-TSOD TAKEN
OF TOH-NI-TKAL-LO OCEAN FISH
OFFENSIVE BIN-KIE-JINH-JIH-DEZ-JAY OFFENSIVE
ONCE TA-LAI-DI ONCE
ONLY TA-EI-TAY-A-YAH ONLY
OPERATE YE-NAHL-NISH WORK AT
OPPORTUNITY ASH-GA-ALIN OPPORTUNITY
OPPOSITION NE-HE-TSAH-JIH-SHIN OPPOSITION
OR EH-DO-DAH-GOH EITHER
ORANGE TCHIL-LHE-SOI ORANGE
ORDER BE-EH-HO-ZINI ORDER
ORDNANCE LEI-AZ-JAH UNDER GROUND
ORIGINATE DAS-TEH-DO BEGIN
OTHER LA-E-CIH OTHER
OUT CLO-DIH OUT SIDE
OVERLAY BE-KA-HAS-TSOZ OVERLAY
PARENTHESIS ATSANH RIB
PARTICULAR A-YO-AD-DO-NEH PARTICULAR
PARTY DA-SHA-JAH PARTY
PAY NA-ELI-YA PAY
PENALIZE TAH-NI-DES-TANH SET BACK
PERCENT YAL MONEY
PERIOD DA-AHL-ZHIN PERIOD
PERIODIC DA-AL-ZHIN-THIN-MOASI PERIOD ICE CAT
PERMIT GOS-SHI-E PERMIT
PERSONNEL DA-NE-LEI MEMBER
PHOTOGRAPH BEH-CHI-MA-HAD-NIL PHOTOGRAPH
PILL BOX BI-SO-DIH-DOT-SAHI-BI-TSAH SICK PIG BOX
PINNED DOWN BIL-DAH-HAS-TANH-YA PINNED DOWN
PLANE TSIDI BIRD
PLASMA DIL-DI-GHILI PLASMA
POINT BE-SO-DE-DEZ-AHE PIG POINT
PONTOON TKOSH-JAH-DA-NA-ELT FLOATING BARREL
POSITION BILH-HAS-AHN POSITION
POSSIBLE TA-HA-AH-TAY POSSIBLE
POST SAH-DEI POST
PREPARE HASH-TAY-HO-DIT-NE PREPARE
PRESENT KUT PRESENT
PREVIOUS BIH-TSE-DIH PREVIOUS
PRIMARY ALTSEH-NAN-DAY-HI-GIH 1ST POSTION
PRIORITY HANE-PESODI PRIORITY
PROBABLE DA-TSI PROBABLE
PROBLEM NA-NISH-TSOH BIG JOB
PROCEED NAY-NIH-JIH GO
PROGRESS NAH-SAI PROGRESS
PROTECT AH-CHANH SELF DEFENSE
PROVIDE YIS-NIL PROVIDE
PURPLE DINL-CHI PURPLE
PYROTECHNIC COH-NA-CHANH FANCY FIRE
QUESTION AH-JAH EAR
QUICK SHIL-LOH QUICK
RADAR ESAT-TSANH (R) LISTEN
RAID DEZJAY RAID
RAILHEAD A-DE-GEH-HI SHIPPING POINT
RAILROAD KONH-NA-AL-BANSI-BI-THIN RAILROAD
RALLYING A-LAH-NA-O-GLALIH GATHERING
RANGE AN-ZAH DISTANCE
RATE GAH-EH-YAHN RABBIT ATE
RATION NA-A-JAH RATION
RAVINE CHUSH-KA (R) RAVINE
REACH IL-DAY (R) REACH
READY KUT (R) READY
REAR BE-KA-DENH (R) REAR
RECEIPT SHOZ-TEH RECEIPT
RECOMMEND CHE-HO-TAI-TAHN RECOMMEND
RECONNAISSANCE HA-A-CIDI INSPECTOR
RECONNOITER TA-HA-NE-AL-YA MAKE SURE
RECORD GAH-AH-NAH-KLOLI R-E-ROPE
RED LI-CHI RED
REEF TSA-ZHIN BLACK ROCK
REEMBARK EH-NA-COH GO IN
REFIRE NA-NA-COH REFIRE
REGULATE NA-YEL-N REGULATE
REINFORCE NAL-DZIL REINFORCE
RELIEF AGANH-TOL-JAY RELIEF
RELIEVE NAH-JIH-CO-NAL-YA REMOVE
REORGANIZE HA-DIT-ZAH REORGANIZE
REPLACEMENT NI-NA-DO-NIL REPLACEMENT
REPORT WHO-NEH GOT WORD
REPRESENTATIVE TKA-NAZ-NILI TRIPLE MEN
REQUEST JO-KAYED-GOH ASK FOR
RESERVE HESH-J-E RESERVE
RESTRICT BA-HO-CHINI RESTRICT
RETIRE AH-HOS-TEEND RETIRE
RETREAT JI-DIN-NES-CHANH RETREAT
RETURN NA-DZAH CAME BACK
REVEAL WHO-NEH (L) REVEAL
REVERT NA-SI-YIZ TURN ABOUT
REVETMENT BA-NAS-CLA (R) CORNER
RIDGE GAH-GHIL-KEID RABBIT RIDGE
RIFLEMAN BE-AL-DO-HOSTEEN RIFLEMEN
RIVER TOH-YIL-KAL MUCH WATER
ROBOT BOMB A-YE-SHI-NA-TAH-IH EGG FLY
ROCKET LESZ-YIL-BESHI SAND BOIL
ROLL YEH-MAS ROLL
ROUND NAZ-PAS (R) ROUND
ROUTE GAH-BIH-TKEEN RABBIT TRAIL
RUNNER NIH-DZID-TEIH RUNNER
SABOTAGE A-TKEL-YAH HINDERED
SABOTEUR A-TKEL-EL-INI TROUBLE MAKER
SAILOR CHA-LE-GAI WHITE CAPS
SALVAGE NA-HAS-GLAH PICK THEM UP
SAT BIH-LA-SANA-CID-DA-HI APPLE SITTING
SCARLET, RED LHE-CHI (S & R) RED
SCHEDULE BEH-EH-HO-ZINI SCHEDULE
SCOUT HA-A-SID-AL-SIZI-GIH SHORT RACOON
SCREEN BESH-NA-NES-DIZI SCREEN
SEAMAN TKAL-KAH-DINEH-IH SEAMAN
SECRET BAH-HAS-TKIH SECRET
SECTOR YOEHI (S) SECTOR
SECURE YE-DZHE-AL-TSISI SMALL SECURITY
SEIZE YEEL-STOD SEIZE
SELECT BE-TAH-HAS-GLA TOOK OUT
SEMI COLON DA-AHL-ZHIN-BI-TSA-NA-DAHL DOT DROP
SET DZEH-CID-DA-HI ELK SITTING
SHACKLE DI-BAH-NESH-GOHZ SHACKLE
SHELL BE-AL-DOH-BE-CA SHELL
SHORE TAH-BAHN (S) SHORE
SHORT BOSH-KEESH SHORT
SIDE BOSH-KEESH SIDE
SIGHT YE-EL-TSANH SEEN
SIGNAL NA-EH-EH-GISH BY SIGNS
SIMPLEX ALAH-IH-NE-TIH INNER WIRE
SIT TKIN-CID-DA-HI ICE SITTING
SITUATE A-HO-TAY (S) SITUATE
SMOKE LIT SMOKE
SNIPER OH-BEHI PICK 'EM OFF
SPACE BE-TKAH BETWEEN
SPECIAL E-YIH-SIH MAIN THING
SPEED YO-ZONS SWIFT MOTION
SPORADIC AH-NA-HO-NEIL NOW AND THEN
SPOTTER EEL-TSAY-I SPOTTER
SPRAY KLESH-SO-DILZIN SNAKE PRAY
SQUADRON NAH-GHIZI SQUASH
STORM NE-OL STORM
STRAFF NA-WO-GHI-GOID HOE
STRAGGLER CHY-NE-DE-DAHE STRAGGLER
STRATEGY NA-HA-TAH (S) STRATEGY
STREAM TOH-NI-LIH RUNNING WATER
STRENGTH DZHEL STRENGTH
STRETCH DESZ-TSOOD STRETCH
STRIKE NAY-DAL-GHAL STRIKE
STRIP HA-TIH-JAH STRIP
STUBBORN NIL-TA STUBBORN
SUBJECT NA-NISH-YAZZIE SMALL JOB
SUBMERGE TKAL-CLA-YI-YAH WENT UNDER WATER
SUBMIT A-NIH-LEH SEND
SUBORDINATE AL-KHI-NAL-DZL HELPING EACH OTHER
SUCCEED YAH-TAY-GO-E-ELAH MAKE GOOD
SUCCESS UT-ZAH IT IS DONE
SUCCESSFUL UT-ZAH-HA-DEZ-BIN IT IS DONE WELL
SUCCESSIVE UT-ZAH-SID SUCCESS SCAR
SUCH YIS-CLEH SOX
SUFFER TO-HO-NE SUFFER
SUMMARY SHIN-GO-BAH SUMMER MARY
SUPPLEMENTARY TKA-GO-NE-NAN-DEY-HE 3RD POSITION
SUPPLY NAL-YEH-HI SUPPLY
SUPPLY SHIP NALGA-HI-TSIN-NAH-AILH SUPPLY SHIP
SUPPORT BA-AH-HOT-GLI DEPEND
SURRENDER NE-NA-CHA SURRENDER
SURROUND NAZ-PAS (S) SURROUND
SURVIVE YIS-DA-YA SURVIVE
SYSTEM DI-BA-TSA-AS-ZHI-BI-TSIN SYSTEM
TACTICAL E-CHIHN TACTICAL
TAKE GAH-TAHN TAKE
TANK CHAY-DA-GAHI TORTOISE
TANK DESTROYER CHAY-DA-GAHI-NAIL-TSAIDI TORTOISE KILLER
TARGET WOL-DONI TARGET
TASK TAZI-NA-EH-DIL-KID TURKEY ASK
TEAM DEH-NA-AS-TSO-SI TEA MOUSE
TERRACE ALI-KHI-HO-NE-OHA (T) TERRACE
TERRAIN TASHI-NA-HAL-THIN TURKEY RAIN
TERRITORY KA-YAH (T) TERRITORY
THAT TAZI-CHA TURKEY HAT
THE CHA-GEE BLUE-JAY
THEIR BIH THEIR
THEREAFTER TA-ZI-KWA-I-BE-KA-DI TURKEY HERE AFTER
THESE CHA-GI-O-EH THE SEE
THEY CHA-GEE (Y) THE Y
THIS DI THE
TOGETHER TA-BILH TOGETHER
TORPEDO LO-BE-CA FISH SHELL
TOTAL TA-AL-SO TOTAL
TRACER BEH-NA-AL-KAH-HI TRACER
TRAFFIC DIAGRAM HANE-BA-NA-AS-DZOH DIAGRAM STORY LINE
TRAIN COH-NAI-ALI-BAHN-SI TRAIN
TRANSPORTATION A-HAH-DA-A-CHA TRANSPORTATION
TRENCH E-GADE TRENCH
TRIPLE TKA-IH TRIPLE
TROOP NAL-DEH-HI TROOP
TRUCK CHIDO-TSO BIG AUTO
TYPE ALTH-AH-A-TEH TYPE
UNDER BI-YAH UNDER
UNIDENTIFIED DO-BAY-HOSEN-E UNIDENTIFIED
UNIT DA-AZ-JAH (U) UNIT
UNSHACKLE NO-DA-EH-NESH-GOHZ UNSHACKLE
UNTIL UH-QUO-HO UNTIL
VICINITY NA-HOS-AH-GIH THERE ABOUT
VILLAGE CHAH-HO-OH-LHAN-IH MANY SHELTER
VISIBILITY NAY-ES-TEE VISIBILITY
VITAL TA-EH-YE-SY VITAL
WARNING BILH-HE-NEH (W) WARNING
WAS NE-TEH WAS
WATER TKOH WATER
WAVE YILH-KOLH WAVE
WEAPON BEH-DAH-A-HI-JIH-GANI FIGHTING WEAPON
WELL TO-HA-HA-DLAY WELL
WHEN GLOE-EH-NA-AH-WO-HAI WEASEL HEN
WHERE GLOE-IH-QUI-AH WEASEL HERE
WHICH GLOE-IH-A-HSI-TLON WEASEL TIED TOGETHER
WILL GLOE-IH-DOT-SAHI SICK WEASEL
WIRE BESH-TSOSIE SMALL WIRE
WITH BILH (W) WITH
WITHIN BILH-BIGIH WITH IN
WITHOUT TA-GAID WITHOUT
WOOD CHIZ FIRE WOOD
WOUND CAH-DA-KHI WOUND
YARD A-DEL-TAHL YARD
ZONE BIH-NA-HAS-DZOH ZONE
THE MARINE HYMN
Jimmy King, a Navajo instructor, translated the Marine Hymn
into Navajo:
We have conquered our enemies Nin hokeh bi-kheh a-na-ih-la
All over the world Ta-al-tso-go na-he-seel-kai
On land and on sea Nih-bi-kah-gi do tah kah-gi
Everywhere we fight Ta-al-tso-go en-da-de-pah
True and loyal to our duty Tsi-di-da-an-ne ne-tay-yah
We are know by that Ay be nihe hozeen
United States Marines Washindon be Akalh Bi-kosi-la
To be one is a great thing. Ji-lengo ba-hozhon
Our flag waves Ni-he da-na-ah-taj ihla
From dawn to setting sun. Yel khol-go e-e-ah
We have fought every place Day-ne tal-al-tso go enta-she-jah
where we could take a gun Tal-tso-go entas-se-pah
From northern lands Ha-kaz dineh-ih be-hay-jah
To southern tropic scenes, Ado ta aokhek-ash-shen
We are known to be tireless Do ni-din-da-hi ol-yeh
The United States Marines Washindon be Akalh-bi Khos
... THE LAST VERSE IS SUNG LIKE A PRAYER ...
May we live in peace hereafter Hozo-go nay-yeltay to
We have conquered all our foes, A-na-oh bi-keh de-dlihn
No force in the world we cannot Ni-hi-keh di-dlini ta-etin
conquer,
We know of no fear Yeh-wol-ye hi-he a-din
If the Army and the Navy Sila-go-tsoi do chah-lakai
Ever look on Heaven's scenes, Ya-ansh-go das dez e e
United States Marines will be Washindon be Akalh-bi Kosi la
there Living in peace. Hozo-g-kay-ha-tehn
3 November 1999
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Native American Nations
