[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING TWO NAVAJO CODE TALKERS

  (Mr. BIGGS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of two Navajo 
Code Talkers, George B. Willie Sr. and Teddy Draper Sr., who recently 
both passed away in my home State of Arizona.
  While both young men, Mr. Willie and Mr. Draper enlisted in the U.S. 
Marine Corps and valiantly served in World War II in the Battles of 
Okinawa and Iwo Jima.
  The Navajo Code Talkers used the Navajo language to transmit and 
receive messages that could not be translated or intercepted by the 
Japanese. This unique skill was a great advantage for the United 
States' victory in the Pacific theater.
  In 2001, both Mr. Willie and Mr. Draper were awarded the 
Congressional Silver Medal for their service and selfless devotion to 
duty. The sacrifices of Mr. Willie and Mr. Draper and their families 
during World War II will be remembered for generations. We will be 
forever grateful for their dedication to our Nation.

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