Texas military honors Choctaw code talkers (fwd)

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Texas military honors Choctaw code talkers

9/17/2007 1:48 PM
By: Kendra Mendez
http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=192100

[photo inset - Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez presents a Lone Star Medals of
Valor to a descendent of a Choctaw code talker]

It started out when an officer overheard a conversation between two Choctaw
soldiers during World War I. That turned into a language code that helped
end the war and save lives.

Now, 90 years later, the Texas Military Forces honored families of the first
U.S. code talkers with an exhibit at the museum at Camp Mabry.

Less well known than the Navajo Code Talkers in the Pacific during World War
II, the Choctaws pioneered the U.S. military�s use of a Native
American language to baffle enemy code-breakers.

"Everybody talks about the Navajos and the Comanches in World War II, but
they forget that the Choctaw were the first ones," Betty Ketcheshawno of
the Choctaw Nation said.

During World War I, Native Americans were not considered U.S. citizens, but
10,000 served regardless. The Choctaw soldiers became communicators for the
military, using Choctaw in place of military terms.

"The codes were getting broken. The lines were getting tapped by the Germans
and the code talkers brought a security to the forces because the Germans
couldn't break their language," Sgt. Jason Colbert said.

[multimedia inset - WATCH THE VIDEO
More Information
Choctaw Code Talkers
The Texas Military Forces honored the very first U.S. Army code talkers.]

Sixteen soldiers were members of the 143rd Infantry Regiment and two were
members of the 141st Infantry Regiment, both part of the Texas National
Guard�s 36th Infantry Division.

While on the western front in France, an officer overheard two Choctaw
soldiers talking to each other in their own language. Since American units
had suffered losses because the Germans were able to listen to their radio
and telephone conversations, the thought struck him that none of the
Germans would understand the Choctaws� language.

Eighteen Choctaws were quickly trained to become communicators. They
developed a code that used Choctaw words for certain military terms and
were assigned to different headquarters. During the German�s major
1918 offensive in the Meuse-Argonne region, their communications resulted
in a successful counterattack against the Germans, whose offensive �
their last � ultimately failed.

[A photo of Choctaw soldiers on display at Texas Military Forces museum]

Their families were honored Sunday at Camp Mabry with the Lone Star Medal of
Valor, and an exhibit showcasing the brave men who cut the war short and
saved lives. Families of the code talkers say recognition has been a long
time coming.

"Having this exhibit open is just wonderful. It's a beautiful thing to have
my tribe recognized for all their hard work," Sgt. Jason Colbert said. "If
my grandfather were still alive I think he would love to see this and the
Choctaw people being recognized for all their hard work."

Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez presented 18 Lone Star Medals of Valor to the
families of the Choctaw Code Talkers. The Lone Star Medal of Valor is the
second-highest decoration awarded by Texas Military Forces.