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7 Cosponsors:
8 J. Stuart Adams
9 Curtis S. Bramble
10 David G. Buxton
11 Allen M. Christensen
12 Kirk A. Cullimore
13 Gene Davis
14 Luz Escamilla
15 Keith Grover
Wayne A. Harper
Daniel Hemmert
Deidre M. Henderson
Lyle W. Hillyard
David P. Hinkins
Don L. Ipson
Derek L. Kitchen
Karen Mayne
Ann Millner
Ralph Okerlund
Kathleen Riebe
Scott D. Sandall
Jerry W. Stevenson
Daniel W. Thatcher
Evan J. Vickers
Todd Weiler
Ronald Winterton
16
17 LONG TITLE
18 General Description:
19 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes and honors
20 the legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers.
21 Highlighted Provisions:
22 This resolution:
23 ▸ recognizes and honors the Navajo Code Talkers' legacy for their extraordinary
24 contribution to the nation; and
25 ▸ designates August 14, 2019, as "Navajo Code Talkers Day" in the state of Utah.
26 Special Clauses:
27 None
28
29 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
30 WHEREAS, Navajo Code Talkers, from Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, saved
31 thousands of lives and helped win World War II in the Pacific Theater by using a top secret
32 code that used the Navajo language to transmit messages;
33 WHEREAS, the enemy was breaking military codes in use until the Navajo Code was
34 introduced;
35 WHEREAS, during World War II, these modest young Navajo men fashioned from the
36 Navajo language the only military code in modern history that was never broken by an enemy;
37 WHEREAS, armed with special top secret training, these men developed over 600
38 Navajo Code words to transmit the top secret messages;
39 WHEREAS, the Navajo Code Talkers' messages were transmitted to the front lines,
40 beach command posts, command ships, aircraft carriers, battleships, and to all landing units
41 involved in every major invasion in the Pacific during World War II;
42 WHEREAS, Navajo radio operators transmitted the code throughout the dense jungles
43 and exposed beachheads of the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945, passing over 800 error-free
44 messages in 48 hours at Iwo Jima alone;
45 WHEREAS, Major Howard Conner, 5th Marine Division signal officer on Iwo Jima
46 landing, said, "were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima";
47 WHEREAS, the bravery and ingenuity of these young Navajo men gave the United
48 States and Allied Forces the upper hand they so desperately needed in the Pacific Theater,
49 hastened the war's end, and assured victory for the United States and its allies;
50 WHEREAS, over a dozen Navajo Code Talkers were killed in action and more than a
51 dozen were wounded;
52 WHEREAS, after 23 years of secrecy, the Navajo Code was declassified in 1968;
53 WHEREAS, the United States Congress and the President, on behalf of United States,
54 honored Navajo Code Talkers with the nation's highest honor, the Congressional Gold and
55 Silver medals, in 2001;
56 WHEREAS, eight of the more than 400 original World War II Navajo Code Talkers are
57 alive today;
58 WHEREAS, the eight surviving Navajo Code Talkers are: Fleming Begaye, Thomas H.
59 Begay, William Brown, John Kinsel, Peter MacDonald Sr., John Pinto, Samuel Sandoval, and
60 Joe Vandever; and
61 WHEREAS, the Navajo Code Talkers leave a legacy of service that continues to inspire
62 others to achieve excellence and instills core values of pride, discipline, and honor:
63 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
64 Governor concurring therein, designates August 14, 2019, as "Utah Navajo Code Talkers Day"
65 in the state of Utah.
66 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize the
67 Navajo Code Talkers' legacy and extraordinary contribution to the nation.
68 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Fleming
69 Begaye, Thomas H. Begay, William Brown, John Kinsel, Peter MacDonald Sr., John Pinto,
70 Samuel Sandoval, and Joe Vandever.