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Navajo Nation mourns passing of Code Talker
PRESCOTT, Ariz. — Willard Varnell Oliver, a member of the Navajo Code Talkers who confounded the Japanese during World War II by transmitting messages in their native language, died Wednesday. He was 88.
Lawrence Oliver said his father died at the Northern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System Hospital in Prescott, Ariz. He had been declining health for the past two years.
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. ordered flags on the Navajo Nation to be flown at half-staff from Oct. 15-19 in honor of Oliver, who is at least the fifth Code Talker to die since May.
Oliver was part of an elite group of Navajo Marines who confused the Japanese during World War II by transmitting messages in Navajo.
The Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. Their work was declassified in 1968.
Oliver, who grew up between Shiprock and Farmington, N.M., served in the South Pacific with the 2nd Marine Division from 1943 to 1945. He was wounded during the battle of Saipan of 1944.
Oliver’s brother, Lloyd Oliver, was also a member of the elite group.
His funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in his hometown of Lukachukai.
Read more at The Associated Press
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Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=8979
Posted by Bob Higgins on Oct 15 2009, With 0 Reads, Filed under Heroes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Used to know a Navajo family that lived across the street from us where i misspent my youth growing up. She was a very nice person and he was a very good artist, when he was sober. Can’t remember if was was in the military (probubly was cause my Father was kinda picky who he socialized with). Later on they got divorced, she moved back to NM and my father got him out of jail a couple of years later in another city. That’s the last I remember of them. He could draw such good portraits of Navaho culture.
Thank you Mr. Oliver. r.i.p.
REST IN PEACE BROTHER OLIVER–Thank You for a job well done and Thank You for your service to our Great Country