[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11197]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICANS TO ARMED 
                                SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 3, 2008

  Mr. INSLEE. Madam Speaker, today, I became a cosponsor of the Code 
Talkers Recognition Act of 2007 (H.R. 4544), a bill that recognizes the 
service of members of Native American Tribes in our Armed Services as 
Code Talkers in World War I and World War II. Code talking was made 
famous by the members of the Navajo Tribe who served in the Pacific in 
World War II, and we have rightfully recognized this service by the 
granting of such medals to these veterans in 2000. However, members of 
17 Native American Tribes also used their languages as unbreakable, top 
secret codes, on the Western front in World War I and on all fronts in 
World War II.
  Time is running out to recognize these heroes. Ruth Frazier McMillian 
resides in my home State of Washington. She is the daughter of Tobias 
Frazier, a Choctaw Code Talker who risked his life to serve in the 36th 
Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, who helped the Americans 
win several key battles in the Mousse-Argonne campaign. I am told that 
this was the first time that a Native American language was used in an 
overseas battle for Americans. Mr. Frazier was wounded in battle and 
received a Purple Heart. It is my hope that Congress considers H.R. 
4544, to honor the service of Tobias Frasier, his family and the many 
others who deserve the honor of a gold medal.

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