When my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, which is today, I told her. She looked at me a little funny, as only wives can do, but when I showed her the picture in the Southwest Indian Foundation catalog, she thought it was pretty cool.
The Southwest Indian Foundation provides woodstoves and Christmas food baskets to needy Indians. My wife loves their jewelry.
Comes the day and, lo and behold, there it was: My very own G.I.Joe Navajo Code Talker Doll, er, Action Figure, yeah, that's the ticket. I don't play with dolls. They didn't have cool shit like this when I was a kid, so I'm making up for lost time as I progress(?) into my second childhood. I've got lotsa little toy motorcycles, too.
The Action Figure comes complete with an M-1 Garand, a backpack radio w/handset, camo-covered helmet, Marine fatigues, web belt, a sheet of Navajo code words and, because we got it from SWIF, a Junior Navajo Code Talker sew-on patch. It also speaks 7 phrases in Navajo with English translations. My wife noticed he didn't have any socks. I told her they probably had rotted off his feet in the jungle climate. Amazing what wives will notice.
It's suitable for ages 5 and up. I'm glad they left the "up" open-ended or I might feel kinda silly. I dare a 5-year-old to get the thing outta the box. Clever, these Chinese.
The reason I wanted this item is that the Navajo Code Talkers are one of my areas of interest, as is the Navajo culture. They are Marines and so am I. Many other Indian Nations, Choctaw, Sioux, etc., provided code talkers for the Army, but these are MY guys.
The Marine Corps plucked these guys right off the Big Rez, made 'em into Marines, sent 'em to Radio and Code Talker Schools, and on to the Pacific. Some of 'em had never worn shoes before. Some of 'em had to learn to speak English.
The Japanese officers, well educated and worldly men, were never able to decipher the Navajo language and break the code. The Code Talkers helped in a big way to win WWII. Their contribution to the war effort was Top Secret and the records were only de-classified in 1968 (I think) although there was a general knowledge of their effort.
I have in my collection a fine book, "The Navajo Code Talkers" by Doris A. Paul, the DVD movie "Windtalkers" , and now my G.I. Joe. I was privileged to attend a ceremony honoring one of these gentlemen while I was at the VA hospital in Prescott AZ (or here). It was held at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (A favorite place for certain foreigners to learn to fly, by the way), also in Prescott. By design, the ceremony was held on November 10, Marine Corps Birthday, so the Marines in attendance got a piece of cake, too.
The VA hospital is located on the grounds of old Fort Whipple, which was not a bastion of friendliness to Indians when it was built during the gold rush of 1863.
So what's the point of all this? Well, besides being a travel guide to Northern Arizona (if you follow the clicks)and a short history of some really fine men, I guess my new toy has me feeling young again.
I may be eligible for the draft.
Hozhro, then.
*Request mortar fire
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