WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Samuel Billison, a member of a group of Navajo
Marines who invented a military code based on the tribal language to confound
the Japanese during World War II, died Wednesday of a heart problem, according
to the Navajo Nation. His age was not immediately known.

The Navajos - called the Code Talkers - used the code and their native language
to communicate troop movements and orders, developing a secret vocabulary that
renamed military armaments and equipment using rough equivalents in Navajo.

Airplanes became birds, ships became fish and weapons were named after various
items. For example, the word ``bomb'' was replaced by the Navajo word for
``egg.''

Billison was a longtime president of the Code Talker Association, and also
served on the Navajo Nation Council.

Billison joined the Marines after high school in 1943. He said he was sent to
test as a code talker when he completed boot camp and the Marines realized he
was fluent in Navajo and English.

Billison and his fellow code talkers were not allowed to discuss their work
when they returned home after the war.

The Defense Department first released information on the code talkers in 1968.

Radioman390 wrote in message
...
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Samuel Billison, a member of a group of Navajo
Marines who invented a military code based on the tribal language to
confound
the Japanese during World War II, died Wednesday of a heart problem,
according
to the Navajo Nation. His age was not immediately known.

The Navajos - called the Code Talkers - used the code and their native
language
to communicate troop movements and orders, developing a secret vocabulary
that
renamed military armaments and equipment using rough equivalents in
Navajo.

Airplanes became birds, ships became fish and weapons were named after
various
items. For example, the word ``bomb'' was replaced by the Navajo word for
``egg.''

Billison was a longtime president of the Code Talker Association, and also
served on the Navajo Nation Council.

Billison joined the Marines after high school in 1943. He said he was sent
to
test as a code talker when he completed boot camp and the Marines realized
he
was fluent in Navajo and English.

Billison and his fellow code talkers were not allowed to discuss their
work
when they returned home after the war.

The Defense Department first released information on the code talkers in
1968.

Odd, that... I thought I read about the Navaho Code Talkers in David Kahn's
tome, 'The Codebreakers', 1st.edition, 1967.

RG

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 03:53:26 GMT, "RadioGuy"
wrote:



Odd, that... I thought I read about the Navaho Code Talkers in David Kahn's
tome, 'The Codebreakers', 1st.edition, 1967.

RG



Perhaps, this led to the DD's actions in '68 ?

JuLiE Dxer wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 03:53:26 GMT, "RadioGuy"
wrote:



Odd, that... I thought I read about the Navaho Code Talkers in David
Kahn's
tome, 'The Codebreakers', 1st.edition, 1967.

RG



Perhaps, this led to the DD's actions in '68 ?

Quite... when Kahn's book detailing the history of communications
intelligence hit the street is caused quite a sensation---especially within
the NSA.

His web site: http://david-kahn.com/index.htm

==========

Remarks of David Kahn
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the
National Security Agency

November 1, 2002

Who'd have thunk that I would ever be here, addressing an NSA audience?
Because when my book, The Codebreakers, was published in 1967, just 35 years
and one month ago, it became the subject of a ban on the part of the
National Security Agency. A notice was circulated here at Fort Meade and was
sent to all NSA outposts worldwide. The book was never to be mentioned. It
was never to be acknowledged when the media - or anybody else -- asked about
it, as at cocktail parties....

http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/kahn.html

==========

RG