Choctaw code talkers facts for kids
The Choctaw code talkers were a special group of Choctaw people from Oklahoma. They were the first to use Native American languages as a secret military code during World War I.
The Choctaw Nation believes these men were the very first Native American code talkers to serve in the U.S. military. In 2007, they were given the Texas Medal of Valor for their bravery.
How a Secret Language Helped Win the War
Code talking, which means using Native American languages as a secret military code, began during World War I. At that time, German soldiers were very good at English. They were even able to listen in and understand American military codes.
An American officer named Colonel Alfred Wainwright Bloor noticed something important. He saw many Native American soldiers serving with him in France. One day, he overheard two Choctaw soldiers talking to each other. He realized he couldn't understand a single word. This gave him an idea! If he couldn't understand them, then the Germans wouldn't either, no matter how good their English was. Plus, many Native American languages had never been written down, making them even harder to crack.
With help from his Choctaw soldiers, Colonel Bloor created a new code using the Choctaw language. The first time they used this code in battle was on October 26, 1918. Colonel Bloor needed to move two companies of soldiers secretly. The plan worked perfectly! The enemy was completely surprised because they couldn't understand the messages. A captured German officer later confirmed that they were "completely confused by the Indian language." They got no useful information from listening to the calls.
Native American soldiers were already good at carrying messages between units. By placing Choctaw speakers in each company, messages could be sent safely. It didn't matter if the radio was overheard or if telephone lines were tapped.
After the war, Colonel Bloor was very happy with the results. He said they could use the telephone's benefits without its dangers. However, he noted that the Choctaw language didn't have words for all military terms. For example, there was no Choctaw word for "machine gun." So, the Choctaw soldiers got creative! They used their word for "big gun" to mean "artillery" and "little gun shoot fast" for "machine gun." Colonel Bloor said, "The results were very gratifying."
Meet the Code Talkers
The first American code talkers were either full-blood or mixed-blood Choctaw people. They were all born in the Choctaw Nation of the Indian Territory. This area is now southeastern Oklahoma. At that time, their nation was a self-governing republic. Later, other tribes, like the Navajo in World War II, also used their languages for military codes.
Here are some of the 19 known Choctaw code talkers:
- Albert Billy (1885–1959): He was a full-blood Choctaw from Howe, Oklahoma. He served in the 36th Division.
- Mitchell Bobb (1895-1921): Born in Rufe, Oklahoma, he was part of the 142nd Infantry.
- Benjamin Franklin Colbert (1900-1964): He was the youngest code talker, born in Durant, Oklahoma.
- Joseph Harvey Davenport (1892-1923): He was from Finley, Oklahoma.
- Tobias William Frazier (1892–1975): A full-blood Choctaw from Cedar County, Oklahoma. He served in the 142nd Infantry.
- Benjamin Wilburn Hampton (1892-unknown): A full-blood Choctaw from Bennington, Oklahoma. He was also in the 142nd Infantry.
- Noel Johnson (1894-unknown): Born in Smithville, Oklahoma, he served in the 142nd Infantry.
- Solomon Bond Louis (1898–1972): A full-blood Choctaw from Hochatown, Oklahoma. He was part of the 142nd Infantry.
- Pete Maytubby (1892-1964): A full-blood Chickasaw from Reagan, Oklahoma. He served in the 142nd Infantry.
- Joseph Oklahombi (1895–1960): His name means man killer in Choctaw. Born in Bokchito, Oklahoma, he was Oklahoma's most decorated war hero. His medals are on display in Oklahoma City.
- Charles Walter Veach (1884–1966): From Durant, Oklahoma, he was a captain in the Oklahoma National Guard before joining the 142nd Infantry.
Honoring Their Service
For a long time after World War I, not much was said about the Choctaw code talkers. The first time they were mentioned in newspapers was in 1919 when soldiers returned from France. Ten years later, an Oklahoma City newspaper wrote about their wartime actions. The Choctaw soldiers themselves didn't use the term 'code talkers.' That phrase became popular during or after World War II.
One code talker, Tobias W. Frazier, always described his wartime activities to his family as "talking on the radio," meaning he used a field telephone.
"New York, May 31.-When the steamship Louisville arrived here today from Brest [France] with 1,897 troops on board, considerable attention was attracted by a detail of 50 Indian soldiers under the command of Captain [Elijah W.] Horner of Mena, Ark. These Indians have to their credit a unique achievement in frustrating German wire tappers. Under the command of Chief George Baconrid, an Indian from the Osage reservation, they transmitted orders in Choctaw, a language not included in German war studies."
The Navajo code talkers of World War II became famous through movies and books. However, the Choctaw code talkers were not as well-known. The Navajo had a history of fighting against the United States. The Choctaw, on the other hand, had adopted an American-style government early on. This might be why their story wasn't as widely shared at first.
In 1986, the Choctaw government honored the code talkers by giving them special Choctaw Medals of Valor. In 1989, France also honored them with the Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Merite (Knight of the National Order of Merit).
A large granite section of the Choctaw War Memorial, built in 1995 at the Choctaw Capitol Building in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, is dedicated to the Choctaw Code Talkers.
On November 15, 2008, President George W. Bush signed a law called The Code Talkers Recognition Act. This law recognized every Native American code talker who served in World War I or World War II (except the Navajo, who had already been honored). Each tribe received a Congressional Gold Medal, kept at the Smithsonian Institution. Each code talker or their family also received a silver medal copy.
