World War II Honoree

Howard Billiman, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Buell Park, Arizona

Honored By

Loretta Billiman Bell

Relationship

Daughter

A NATIVE AMERICAN, ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS AT 16 AND BECAME A NAVAJO CODE TALKER. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTORS OF THE SECRET NAVAJO CODE. HE HELPED REVISE AND PERFECT IT TO ITS EVENTUAL FORM AS A SECURE METHOD OF ORAL COMMUNICATION IN THE FIELD. FROM 1943 TO 1945, HE SERVED IN COMBAT OPERATIONS WITH HEADQUARTERS 2ND MARINE DIVISION. RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING AND COORDINATING NAVAJO COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS, HE PARTICIPATED IN LANDINGS AT TARAWA, SAIPAN, TINIAN, AND OKINAWA. HE WAS ALSO WITH THE FIRST U.S. FORCES TO OCCUPY JAPAN AT NAGASAKI IN SEPTEMBER 1945. THE NAVAJO CODE IS RECOGNIZED AS THE ONLY U.S. MILITARY CODE NEVER TO BE BROKEN BY ENEMY FORCES.