Photograph of first 29 Navajo U.S. Marine Corps Code-Talker Recruits being Sworn in at Fort Wingate, NM, 1942
This photograph depicts the first 29 U.S. Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers, who were sworn in at Fort Wingate, NM, on May 4, 1942.
These honorable men developed and utilized a spoken code that could not be deciphered, which proved invaluable throughout the Second World War. Their secret messages regarding movement of troops and tactics as well as other necessary communications ensured valuable information could not be used favorably by enemy forces.
Our office holds additional records created by Bureau of Indian Affairs offices in southern California and Arizona, which document the contributions of Native Americans during the Second World War.
Photograph of first 29 Navajo U.S. Marine Corps Code-Talker Recruits being Sworn in at Fort Wingate, NM, dated 1942. National Archives Identifier: 295175.
You can explore more records held in the National Archives at Riverside by searching the National Archives Catalog or by visiting our research room in person. We encourage researchers to contact us to learn more about our holdings or to schedule an appointment.