World War II Honoree

Joe Palmer

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Arizona

HE WAS ONE OF THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS. HE AND 28 OTHER CODE TALKERS USED THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE TO TRANSMIT MILITARY MESSAGES ON ENEMY TACTICS, JAPANESE TROOP MOVEMENTS AND OTHER BATTLEFIELD INFORMATION BY TELEPHONE AND RADIO. ACCORDING TO THE NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS TOOK PART IN EVERY ASSAULT THE MARINE CORPS CONDUCTED IN THE PACIFIC FROM 1942 TO 1945 AND WERE PRAISED FOR THEIR SKILL, SPEED AND ACCURACY. THEIR WORK WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ENEMY TO DECODE. SURVIVING MEMBERS RECEIVED THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL IN 2000 FOR THEIR SERVICE. AFTER THE WAR, HE AND THE OTHERS WERE TOLD TO KEEP THE NAVAJO CODE A SECRET. EVEN AFTER THE INFORMATION WAS DECLASSIFIED IN 1968, THEY WERE RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS IT OR TAKE CREDIT FOR THEIR DEEDS.