World War II Honoree

Dan Akee, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Tuba City, Arizona

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

He served in the 4th Marine Division, 25th Regiment during WWII. He saw action on four Pacific islands. He was one of the Native American Navajo Code Talkers. He served in the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian and two campaigns at Iwo Jima, and was there during the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. He was part of a military program that used native Navajo speakers to transmit codes in the Pacific theater of Operations. He had to learn the use of the radio to transmit the coded messages. He was sent from the U.S. with the 4th Marine Division directly into action on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, then on to Saipan and Tinian. On one occasion his unit's Japanese interpreter intercepted an enemy message of a nighttime banzai attack, the code talkers passing the word on so that the Marines were ready when the attack came. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. He reached the rank of Sergeant Major and received several other medals.