World War II Honoree

Samuel Billison

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Window Rock, Arizona

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS A NAVAJO CODE TALKER AND UNDERWENT BASIC BOOT CAMP TRAINING AT THE SAN DIEGO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT BEFORE ASSIGNMENT TO THE FIELD SIGNAL BATTALION FOR TRAINING AT CAMP PENDLETON. WHILE AT CAMP PENDLETON HE RECEIVED TRAINING IN BASIC COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT. UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING HE WAS SENT TO THE PACIFIC FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE MARINE COMBAT DIVISIONS WHERE HE TRANSMITTED AND RECEIVED MESSAGES BY TELEPHONE AND RADIO IN HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, A CODE THAT THE JAPANESE NEVER BROKE.