The Pentagon recently reinstated some webpages celebrating the vital roles of Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans. This move came after the pages were taken down, sparking outrage among tribal leaders. The deletions were part of a larger removal of content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which occurred following an executive order from former President Trump aimed at ending federal DEI programs. Pentagon officials later stated that the removal of the Code Talker information was a mistake.
According to Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot, when content is mistakenly removed, they make corrections promptly. On Tuesday, many users encountered “404 – Page not found” errors for the Code Talkers’ pages. By Wednesday, some content was restored, but materials related to Native American Heritage Month remained unavailable. It’s worth noting that thousands of other pages from the DEI sweep are still offline.
In a statement, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren expressed satisfaction with the restoration but raised concerns about how an automated review process led to the loss of important content about Navajo history. He emphasized the autonomy of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the U.S. and their significance beyond DEI classifications.
During World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps enlisted 29 Navajo men to create a code based on their language. This groundbreaking communication method consisted of over 200 terms and an alphabet. For example, to express "send," they would use code words related to sheep, eyes, nose, and deer. This ingenious code significantly aided U.S. military operations and was instrumental in victories during the Pacific theater, frustrating Japanese military cryptographers.
Peter MacDonald, one of the last surviving Code Talkers at 96 years old, expressed that the code was a powerful asset in saving thousands of American lives. He voiced concern about the need for the current administration to balance historical recognition while addressing DEI issues. "You don’t want to hide history," he said.
The Pentagon has assured that it respects the contributions of all servicemen and women of color. Alongside the restoration of the Code Talker pages, they also reinstated a webpage celebrating Jackie Robinson’s military service. Ullyot affirmed that the Defense Department honors these heroes for their service without viewing them through any specific social lens.
Michael Smith, whose father was a Code Talker, questioned why such essential historical pages were ever removed. He highlighted the inconsistency of the removals with the supposed aims of the executive order. Concerns extend beyond the Code Talkers, as other leaders, like Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community, noted that vital content regarding all Native American veterans had vanished.
The ongoing debate underscores a larger issue within government practices regarding the recognition of minority contributions. As this story unfolds, it shines a light on the importance of preserving history and honoring the contributions of all who served.
For more on military service and its historical context, you can visit Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
Check out this related article: Trump’s Bold Move: A Plan to Eliminate the U.S. Education Department—What It Means for Students and Families
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