I AM CLOSE TO BEING SOLD OUT OF NAVAJO CODE TALKER AUTOGRAPHS. DO NOT MISS YOUR CHANCE TO ADD THIS RARE SIGNED PHOTO TO YOUR COLLECTION. I ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL REMAINING. This listing is for the following WWII Navajo Code Talker autographed 4x6 photograph. I am also including an unsigned in uniform photograph of Colonel Gerald Russell.

BIO: Colonel Gerald Russell (Deceased) WWII 5th Marines Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Korea, Vietnam. Last living battalion Commander on Iwo Jima in charge of Navajo Code Talkers. He commanded one of the first units to land in Japan and provided protection for the US technical teams covering the atomic bomb site in Nagaskai. Russell also witnessed the historical raising of the American Flag Raising on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima.

He is a recipient of the following military decorations: Bronze Star with ``V'' for Valor, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart Medal with two gold stars, U.S. Presidential Citation with four stars, Korean Presidential Unit Citation with three stars, Navy Meritorious Unit Citation, the Defense Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal with three stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Medal, World War II Japan Occupation Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal.

If you are not familiar with the WWII Navajo Code Talkers in 202 there is a movie titled “Windtalkers” starring Nicolas Cage that tells real story of code talkers from the Navajo nation during World War II.

The WWII Navajo Code Talkers (code was never broken) they served in the USMC using a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The Navajo Code Talkers used their knowledge of Native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages they would transmit secret tactical messages. Navajo Code Talkers transmitted messages over military telephone or radio communications nets using formally or informally developed codes built upon their Indigenous languages. The code talkers improved the speed of encryption and decryption of communications in front line operations during World War II and are credited with a number of decisive victories. Many Navajo men enlisted shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor and eagerly contributed to the war effort.

Because Navajo has a complex grammar, it is not mutually intelligible with even its closest relatives within the Na-Dene family to provide meaningful information. At the time, it was still an unwritten language, and Johnston believed Navajo could satisfy the military requirement for an undecipherable code. Its complex syntax and phonology, not to mention its numerous dialects, made it unintelligible to anyone without extensive exposure and training. One estimate indicates that at the outbreak of World War II, fewer than 30 non-Navajo could understand the language.

In early 1942, Johnston met with the commanding general of the Amphibious Corps, Major General Clayton B. Vogel, and his staff. Johnston staged simulated combat conditions which demonstrated that Navajo men could transmit and decode a three-line message in 20 seconds, compared to the 30 minutes it took the machines of the time. The idea of using Navajo speakers as code talkers was accepted; Vogel recommended that the Marines recruit 200 Navajo. However, that recommendation was cut to one-platoon to use as a pilot project to develop and test the feasibility of a code. On May 4, 1942, twenty-nine Navajo men were sworn-into service at an old US Army Fort that had been converted into a BIA Boarding School: Fort Wingate. They were organized as platoon 382. The first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp in May 1942. This first group created the Navajo code at Camp Pendleton.

One of the key features of the Navajo Code Talkers is that they employed a coded version of their language. Other Navajos who were not trained in the Navajo Code could not decipher the messages being sent. Platoon 382 was the Marine Corps' first "all-Indian, all-Navajo" Platoon. The members of this platoon would become known as The First Twenty-Nine. Most were recruited from near the Fort Wingate, NM area. The youngest was William Dean Yazzie (aka Dean Wilson) who was only 15 when he was recruited. The oldest was Carl N. Gorman who with his son, R.C. Gorman, would go on to become an artist of great acclaim and who would design the Code Talkers' logo at age 35.

The Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 was signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 15, 2008. The act recognized every Native American code talker who served in the United States military during WWI or WWII (with the exception of the already-awarded Navajo) with a Congressional Gold Medal. The act was designed to be distinct for each tribe, with silver duplicates awarded to the individual code talkers or their next-of-kin. As of 2013, 33 tribes have been identified and been honored at a ceremony at Emancipation Hall at the US Capitol Visitor Center. One surviving code talker was present, Edmond Harjo.

THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED 4x6 PHOTOGRAPH. I ONLY SELL AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED MEMORABILIA. I do not sell reprints or facsimile autographs. When you bid on my items you will receive the real deal authentic hand autographed items. You will receive the same signed photograph that is pictured in the scan. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me. PLEASE NOTE this 4x6 photograph was printed in the early 2000’s and then personally hand autographed. I ship items internationally and the price for international S&H varies by country. I currently have other rare autographed military and historical signed items available. Please take a look at my other auctions of rare military and historical autographed items.