Production Notes from Windtalkers official film site by MGM

"The Navajo has the code. Protect the code at all costs."

In World War II, the Japanese were continually able to break encrypted military transmissions, dramatically slowing U.S. progress. Finally, in 1942, several hundred Navajo Americans were recruited as Marines and trained to use a secret military code based on their native language. These Marines were called code talkers. Their code was ultimately the only one never broken by the Japanese and is considered to have been key in winning the war.

In Windtalkers, during the Battle of Saipan, Marines Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) and Ox Anderson (Christian Slater) are assigned to protect code talkers Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) and Charlie Whitehorse (Roger Willie). Their orders are to keep these men safe, but if a code talker should fall into enemy hands they're to "protect the code at all costs." As the men become reluctant friends and the bonds of war are forged, each man is ultimately faced with a terrible decision: if they can't protect their fellow Marines, how far will they go to protect the code?

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures presents John Woo's spectacular Windtalkers, a Lion Rock Production starring Academy Award®-winner Nicolas Cage. Written by John Rice & Joe Batteer, the film's impressive and talented cast includes Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo, Brian Van Holt, Roger Willie, Frances O'Connor, Martin Henderson, and Christian Slater. Windtalkers was produced by Woo, Terence Chang, Tracie Graham and Alison Rosenzweig, with executive producer C.O. Erickson and line producers John J. Smith and Richard Stenta. The production team includes Jeffrey Kimball, ASC, as director of photography, Holger Gross as production designer, and Steven Kemper, Jeff Gullo and Tom Rolf, A.C.E. as film editors, with special make-up effects created by Kevin Yagher. Caroline Macauley and Arthur Anderson served as co-producers. Honored composer James Horner wrote the music for the film.

THE STORY

The Beginning

Windtalkers is a character-driven, emotional action drama set in the Pacific during World War II - a somewhat different setting than John Woo's other American action films. This time, Woo's stage is the 1944 Battle of Saipan, recreated onscreen in stunning detail. At the heart of the lightning-paced combat, the story centers on the incredible friendship that develops between Marines in battle and the complex relationship between the legendary Navajo American code talkers and their designated Marine guards.

The theme of friendship and the film's complex characterizations are what drew Woo and his longtime producing partner Terence Chang to the project. "I fell in love with the story the minute I heard it," Woo says. "It's so emotional, a celebration of the human spirit. I had been looking for something different from a generic action film, something our company could develop." The pair felt they'd found the perfect material in Windtalkers.

Windtalkers presented Woo with the opportunity to revisit ideas similar to those in his celebrated Hong Kong films like The Killer (Woo and Chang's first collaboration in 1989) and Hard-Boiled. "John is basically known in the West as an action director, but some of his best films in Hong Kong are largely based on the theme of friendship among men," Chang says. "He's obviously very good with action, but he's also incredible with actors and drama and telling a story in a way that really affects an audience."

The idea for Windtalkers began with producers Alison Rosenzweig and Tracie Graham. About ten years ago, Rosenzweig was first told about the code talkers by her brother Seth, a World War II aficionado. He had long been fascinated by their heroic contribution to the war in the Pacific and encouraged her to develop a movie about this relatively unknown chapter in American and Marine history. "I was absolutely compelled," she says, "but at first I felt their story would make a great documentary and wasn't necessarily material for a feature."

Eight years later, while looking for projects to develop, Rosenzweig shared her knowledge of the code talkers with producing partner Graham. "I was immediately enthralled," says Graham, "but equally perplexed as to how to turn the story of the code talkers into a feature narrative." Determined, the two producers delved into history books, eventually stumbling upon the dramatic key they'd been seeking.

"I read that during the war code talkers were assigned Marine guards for protection," says Rosenzweig. "They were to protect the code talker and his code from falling into the hands of the Japanese." According to Rosenzweig, her reading revealed that if a code talker was in danger of being captured, the Marine guard was to prevent the code from being compromised at all costs. After thorough research, Marine Corps historians were unable to locate any evidence that such orders ever took place - it would be illegal for a Marine to be ordered to kill a fellow Marine. But the notion that a serviceman might have had to kill one of his own, someone he'd fought alongside and with whom he'd become friends, resonated with the producers. Intrigued by the emotional implications of such orders, Rosenzweig and Graham realized they had their story.

It was also fascinating to them that the code talkers were virtually unknown until fairly recently. "The existence of the code talkers was not declassified until 1969," says Graham. "Even though the code talkers were invaluable in winning World War II, the U.S. military wanted their accomplishments to remain secret, precisely because they'd been so successful. They were the military's secret weapon in the war, and they felt they might need them again."

Shaping the Story

To pen the screenplay, the producing duo approached the writing team of John Rice and Joe Batteer. "Tracie and Alison had uncovered a terrific moral dilemma which we all thought would make for an incredibly dramatic narrative," Rice says. "A man is given ethically challenging orders and has to make a horrifying decision, a decision that could only be presented in the heightened circumstances of war." Graham, Rosenzweig, Rice, and Batteer again voraciously submerged themselves in research. "We read everything we could that related to the involvement of the Navajo and the Marines in Pacific battle," says Rice.

They eventually decided to set their story against the backdrop of the Battle of Saipan and developed scenes that directly evolved from anecdotal accounts they read. For example, Batteer says, "There were instances when Navajo Marines were mistaken for Japanese by fellow Marines. Protecting code talkers from their own men, ironically, was another reason some were assigned guards."

Rice credits the title, Windtalkers, to the Navajo culture. "Wind figures prominently in the Navajo scheme of things, culturally and religiously, and it feels very ethereal. We wanted to imbue the piece with a sense of this Navajo spirituality."

Without a written script but on the strength of a thoroughly developed outline, Woo and Chang agreed to meet with the producer/writer foursome, who had worked together on assembling a pitch. "I remember after we pitched," says Graham, "Woo stood up, clapped, and said 'Now that's my kind of movie!'"

"John Woo was our fantasy director," says Rosenzweig, "so it was a thrill to have him react so enthusiastically."

"That was a great day," adds Graham.

The development and pre-production process moved smoothly from then on. Graham, Rosenzweig, Rice, and Batteer set to work collaborating on fine-tuning and perfecting the script. "You can develop projects for years," Chang says, "but Windtalkers had been so thoroughly worked out that the first draft of the script was almost identical to what we heard in the pitch." Finally, with a thoroughly solid screenplay and Woo at the helm, Windtalkers was on its way to the big screen.

THE CHARACTERS

Joe Enders and Ben Yahzee

Once Windtalkers' pre-production was underway, casting became the next important step. Years earlier while filming Face/Off, Woo had enjoyed a very cohesive working relationship with actor Nicolas Cage (a Best Actor Oscar®-winner for Leaving Las Vegas, another MGM film). He immediately thought of him for Windtalkers' lead role. Cage became the first actor to jump on board, eagerly embracing the chance to work again with the famed director. "John is the ultimate auteur," says Cage. "His vision is a world I want to work in. He's very trusting and collaborative with actors. I also believe he likes to work in extremes - his vision is extreme and so is mine."

These similar sensibilities worked well in fleshing out the character of Joe Enders, a war-weary Marine who's been dehumanized by his experiences in battle. "Enders is shell-shocked, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder," says Cage. "He's been through horrible experiences in the war and he's lost his innocence. He's probably the most unhappy character I've ever played."

"The role of Enders is incredibly complicated," says Graham. "He's a good Marine who's willing to follow orders, which is why he's chosen for the code talker assignment. But it's also precisely because he follows orders that he lost so many men in a previous battle in the Solomon Islands. He did what he was told and it led to a catastrophe he's still trying to deal with, both emotionally and physically."

When the film opens, Enders is anxious to return to the front, despite having been wounded in the same battle where his squad was killed - he took a blow to his head that severely damaged one of his ears. Rita, a nurse at the hospital who's been tending to his wounds, helps Enders fake a hearing test that will allow him to get back to the war.

Enders' new assignment is hardly what he had envisioned, however. Because of his unwavering ability to follow orders, Enders is chosen to serve as a guard for a Navajo Indian who has been trained to transmit messages in a secret military code based on the Navajo language. Cage says, "It's a double-edged sword. We're required to protect the code talker, but also to protect the code. Throughout the film, Enders wrestles the possibility of having to carry out his orders."

Ben Yahzee is Enders' assigned charge. A new recruit who only recently left the peaceful surroundings of the Navajo reservation, Yahzee exudes a sense of balance and calm, spiritually guided by the teachings of his culture. Unlike Enders, his spirit has yet to be polluted by war. Yahzee quickly learns, however, how brutal war can be.

After an extensive search for a Navajo actor to play the part, the filmmakers decided Adam Beach would be perfect, a Native American from Canada who embodied many of Yahzee's characteristics. Chang had spotted Beach in the independent film Smoke Signals and felt he had the power and talent to play opposite Cage.

"Casting Yahzee was difficult," Chang continues. "We needed an actor to carry one of the two leading roles, and the best person for that role was Adam. The Navajo Nation gave us its blessing to cast Adam, though he is non-Navajo, as he is 100% Native American."

In discussing his character, Beach says, "Yahzee is an intelligent Marine, but he learns in battle that he's not very good at killing people." Yahzee seeks a friendship with Enders, but Enders isn't interested - he doesn't want to complicate his mission.

Eventually, however, the stress of battle brings them together. "Through Enders," Beach says, "Yahzee finds the strength to focus on his unit and mission and not worry about what's in front of him. He also learns the power of bonding with others."

He doesn't get through the experience unfazed, though. "It's heartbreaking for Enders that Yahzee is losing his innocence the way he did, but Enders has to awaken the animal in Yahzee," says Cage. "Yahzee has to learn to kill for his own survival." Through their relationship, Enders himself regains some sense of humanity. Each man helps give the other the strength to make it through war.

"Enders and Yahzee's relationship is one of the anchors of the film," says Graham. "Cage and Beach do an incredible job of building that relationship and giving it the importance and gravity necessary to carry the story."

Ox Anderson and Charlie Whitehorse

Yahzee and Enders are part of a reconnaissance unit whose orders are to move ahead of the larger Marine battalion and assess enemy positions, helping to target artillery fire and guide the direction of troops. Yahzee uses the code to relay coordinates by radio to Whitehorse, a fellow code talker who has also been assigned a guard, Ox. Christian Slater and Roger Willie portray Ox and Whitehorse, respectively.

Describing his character as "big-hearted and charming," Slater, like Cage, was intrigued by Ox's conflict over his assignment as a guard. "Enders has given up on human existence to some extent and seems more resigned to the assignment, but Ox really questions his orders.."

"Christian's a wonderful actor and audiences really respond to him," says Rosenzweig. "You're immediately drawn to his character. To see this likable person faced with such a devastating dilemma really packs an emotional punch."

Like Cage, Slater was also looking forward to working with Woo again, having acted for the director in Broken Arrow. And Slater was excited to explore new ground, having never been in a war film. "It was an opportunity to pay tribute to the Marines and the Navajo, as well as to the time period and the war."

A veteran performer, Slater proved invaluable to first-time actor Roger Willie. In the role of Whitehorse, Willie relied on Slater's experience. "I would follow Christian," says Willie. "I trusted him and let him lead the way."

Selected from thousands of Navajo at an open casting call near his home in Colorado, Roger Willie had never before acted - he was only accompanying a nephew who was auditioning. He was thrilled at being cast in the role, though. "There's a special quality to Roger," says producer Chang. "He has such a strong presence, such wisdom and intelligence."

Adam Beach adds, "Roger's a natural. He wasn't afraid to take control of his character and make suggestions. He had a lot of guts for a first-timer."

The story of the code talkers is sacred to Willie, and it was an honor for him to portray one of his tribe's fabled heroes. "It means a lot to me. I always viewed the code talkers as special people. They are our own heroes." Treated with reverence in the Navajo community, Willie says, "The movie presents an opportunity for the code talkers and the Navajo people in general to be exposed to the entire world."

Nicolas Cage adds, "I think its immensely important for all Americans and the world to know that Native Americans took such an active part fighting for our country."

The Squad

John Woo rounded out his cast with an extraordinary roster of actors. Chick, a burly and proud Texan, is played by Noah Emmerich; Mark Ruffalo portrays Pappas, a Greek American who's so terrified in battle he hyperventilates; Brian Van Holt is a surfer from Florida who's traded his board for a flamethrower; Martin Henderson plays Nellie, an inexperienced, scared kid from Rhode Island who obsesses about his wife back home; and Peter Stormare is Gunnery Sergeant Hjelmstad, a veteran Marine and Scandinavian immigrant who serves as squad leader.

These characters have different backgrounds and their paths would normally never cross, but they're thrown together to fight a war. People coming together in spite of their differences is a theme of Windtalkers. As producer Rosenzweig says, "I think each of the main characters is representative of a different part of American society. Having such a varied mix of actors helps broaden the scope of the story and give it a very real sense of perspective. People can see themselves in the different characters."

Terence Chang agrees. "It's about people from different races, cultures, and religious backgrounds learning to respect their differences and work together. To me, that's the most important message in the film."

Like many Americans, much of the cast knew very little about the code talkers and the Battle of Saipan before signing on to the film. Lessons in WWII history often focus more on Hitler and the European theater, leaving many Westerners with sketchy information about the Pacific battles. Peter Stormare, a native Swede, says, "In Europe you're taught the details of every European battle that took place during WWII, but we don't really know anything about the war in the Pacific except Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima."

Stormare had long been fascinated by U.S. Marines and Native American culture. "As a kid growing up in Sweden, those were things about the United States I was amazed by - not the cowboys, but the Marines and the Native Americans." Fueled by this interest and memories of family members who served in WWII, Stormare was delighted to be a part of the film.

The theme of brotherhood and unity also plays a big part in the relationship between Pappas and Nellie. Of his character, actor Mark Ruffalo says, "Pappas is a little cynical and caustic, but genuinely warm. He's been in the war for some time, and looks at this new kid, Nellie, as a younger brother, even though guys like Pappas never want to get too friendly with the new kid because they're often dead in a day or two."

Nellie is inexperienced, skittish and afraid, and takes great comfort in being taken under Pappas' protective wing. Martin Henderson says, "Nellie doesn't want to be there. He wants to be home with his sweetheart. He turns to Pappas in the middle of battle for reassurance, even though Pappas is going through his own hell. The bonds of friendship become incredibly important in war."

"My character is a reluctant immigrant," Ruffalo adds. "He's a second generation Greek and doesn't really feel part of the war, but he's stuck there. All he has is this fraternity. He maybe doesn't know exactly what he's fighting for, but he doesn't want to let the guys down. He finds himself fighting for his brothers in war."

Harrigan, the Marine wielding the deadly flame-thrower, is a toughened warrior. Actor Brian Van Holt says, "He's a laid back beach guy from Daytona, Florida, who volunteers to fight. First and foremost, he's a Marine and rifleman, but then he acquires the flame-thrower and it becomes a part of his identity." With a 72-pound WWII-era weapon strapped to his back throughout the film - a weapon that shoots 130-foot flames - Van Holt endured a different kind of hardship than his peers, and it gave him a new appreciation for U.S. Marines. Through his character, the actor also learned about the underlying brotherhood of the Marine Corps. "I think it becomes instinctual to want to protect the guy next to you. This bond is carried out throughout the whole movie."

CAPTURING WINDTALKERS ON FILM

John Woo assembled an exceptional team of behind-the-scenes talent to bring his compelling story to the big screen. As on previous films, Woo relied on the creative ingenuity of directory of photography Jeffrey Kimball, ASC, and editor Steve Kemper, Jeff Gullo and Tom Rolf, A.C.E. Production designer Holger Gross and costume supervisor Nick Scarano also contributed to Woo's highly stylized vision for Windtalkers.

The 20-week shooting schedule was filmed entirely on location in Hawaii and Southern California. Principal photography began on Monday, August 28th, 2000, shooting the explosive and vast Saipan battle sequences at a privately owned ranch on the windward side of Oahu near Honolulu.

Covering approximately 4000 acres, Kualoa Ranch is a fully functioning cattle and recreational ranch currently owned by the Morgan family. Nestled in a valley roughly one mile wide and 4.5 miles long between two jutting mountain ranges, the ranch provided the perfect landscape for Woo to capture the haunting realism of the film's opening battle. Dramatically sweeping up from the sea, it offered 360º vistas resembling the Pacific island of Saipan.

Producer Chang says, "The first Saipan battle was not originally written to be as big as it now appears in the film. But when you finish a script and give it to a director like John, you have to give him freedom to realize his vision, and he wanted to create huge battle sequences. In the first shot alone, we had 280 explosions and 700 extras." Computer generated battleships and planes were inserted to enhance the magnitude of the battle. "It's a really huge movie for such an intimate story," Chang adds, "certainly the biggest John and I have ever done."

While Cage and Slater had already witnessed Woo's command of his craft, the other cast members were awestruck. Mark Ruffalo says, "He's incredible. In one particular shot, a steadycam followed us into a ditch where all this hand-to-hand combat was taking place. In one long take, moving from man to man, he had choreographed the whole thing. It was like a one-act play."

Capturing the scope of Woo's enormous battle sequences fell squarely on the capable shoulders of director of photography Jeffrey Kimball. Having collaborated with Woo previously on Mission: Impossible 2, Kimball was no stranger to the innovative way Woo expects the camera to follow the action. "John likes everything to move. He likes the choreography, he likes the cameras to dance," Kimball says. "He wanted the film to be realistic, so you feel as though you're in the war." Kimball gave a documentary-like feeling to the scenes and highlighted the scope of the film by shooting in Super 35 format. "The images feel bigger in the theatre," he says.

At times, Kimball had the formidable task of overseeing as many as 14 cameras running simultaneously. Often a camera attached to a helicopter would fly overhead, requiring some of Kimball's first-rate camera team to find ingenious (and safe) ways to disguise themselves in the battlefield. Cameras were hidden in the backs of army vehicles, in tanks and trenches, and operators and their assistants were camouflaged in military uniforms. Kimball went to great lengths to ensure that Woo's intent to recreate the brutality of Saipan's combat was caught on film. "We had all manner of camouflage going. In those wide shots we wanted to be right in there with the Marines, in the thick of the action, so we even had a vintage WWII camera operated by a Marine cameraman."

The logistics involved in staging the battle sequences were overwhelming and time-consuming. As many as 700 extras were on set at one time - approximately 500 Marines and 250 Japanese soldiers - all of whom were hired locally. With these numbers added to the production crew of approximately 350, Windtalkers became its own battalion, with a lunch tent catering to over 1000 people on some days.

Many of the extras came with some form of military background - former Army or Marine recruits, reservists, or active duty servicemen on leave. It was quite a sight to behold as hundreds of men in vintage U.S. Marine wardrobe moved up from the sea toward the constructed enemy line, a four-foot trench running the length of the ridge simulating where Japanese soldiers had been dug in over 50 years ago. From the ridge, a clear line of sight of the massive Marine movement, multiple field explosions, tank movement, and gunfire left onlookers breathless.

Writer Rice says, "I was blown away on the first day of filming. It was truly amazing to see a thousand men in a valley, tanks rolling by and hundreds of explosions going off in one shot. It was such a thrill as a writer to see so many talented people and actors bringing your story to life."

BOOT CAMP

Prior to filming, most of the principal cast joined a core group of 62 extras for boot camp, where they endured a week of rigorous military training as WWII Marines. Windtalkers was fortunate enough to receive assistance from the Department of Defense, which made Kaneohe Marine Corps Base available for the actor's basic training. Under the tutelage of Sergeant Major Jim Dever (a retired 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps) and his active duty Marine instructors, the cast learned how to walk, talk, and think like Marines. Dever, who also served as military technical advisor on the film, says, "They learned about the Marine Corps, its history and structure, how to handle, load and clean the weapons correctly, and how to move on the battlefield like real Marines would have at that time."

Boot camp gave the actors a taste of military life, also introducing them to tactical maneuvers and Marine terminology. But perhaps the most important result was that the cast came together during the experience. They were able to begin principal photography as friends, better able to simulate the bond between their characters and impart a sense of realism to their scenes.

Still reeling from boot camp, the cast arrived on the set with adrenaline pumping, ready for combat. They were in awe of what they saw. As Christian Slater says, "It blew all of us away. World War II had truly been recreated. It was massive, and it felt both dangerous and scary to be a part of it."

RECREATING SAIPAN

The authentic Marine and Japanese wardrobes helped create the sense of realism felt by the actors. Working months in advance from historical resource material, costume supervisor Nick Scarano had 1300 Marine and 1000 Japanese uniforms sewn from specially selected fabrics. In keeping with Woo's commitment to authenticity, Scarano worked diligently with a crew of textile artists to distress the costumes as though they'd endured the worst of battle.

In doing research, Scarano learned that the uniforms of the Marines in WWII were mismatched. "They were the last of the soldiers to get uniforms, so they ended up with a mishmash of ill-fitting camouflage and green fatigues."

The chain of command on the set operated much like one would imagine in battle. Woo relayed his vision to his first assistant director and right hand man, Arthur Anderson, and to his trusted stunt coordinator, Brian Smrz. The physical movement of the multitude of extras would then be organized by the military technical advisor, Sergeant Major Jim Dever, who would instruct his nine platoon commanders, leading 40-50 men each through squad leaders, on the formation of the men for each take.

Dispersed amongst these extras were some 40 stunt men, also in military costume, who moved with the men and shielded them from the innumerable explosives rigged by the special effects team. Under the supervision of Smrz, who has worked as Woo's stunt coordinator on his last four films, the rugged and highly-trained team of stunt men also ran through fire balls and took numerous "squib hits" while simulating the rigor and violence of combat.

Weapons coordinator "Rock" Galotti amassed over 500 vintage WWII era firing weapons and 700 rubber replica weapons for the film from private collectors and prop houses. The Marines in the film were equipped with M1 rifles, M1 carbines, Browning Automatic rifles and Thompson sub-machine guns, while the Japanese soldiers were armed with Arisaka rifles, Japanese type 92 machine guns and type 99 light machine guns. Galotti estimates that over half a million rounds of ammunition were used on the film. Also featured moving across battlefields are vintage Sherman tanks, their smaller Stuart brethren, and Japanese Hago tanks.

"Woo involves the audience completely," says Tracie Graham. "They're not being shown war - they're in it." For the actors, who did a lot of their own stunt work, this intimacy was terrifying at times. Christian Slater says, "It was one dangerous, fear-ridden scene after another. Some of these long scenes had us running through mines and bombs - you had to be very careful what path you chose." Adam Beach adds, "I was a little shell-shocked after my first two days of work," and Noah Emmerich says, "Through making this movie, I now have a new concept of war. I've been as close to war as I ever want to get."

While the lush greenery of the valley in Oahu made for beautiful images, the frequent tropical showers posed logistical difficulties for the production. The rain storms could be relentless or intermittent, but the effect was the same: mud. Quite deep at times, the mud often made access roads impossibly dangerous for production vehicles; numerous pyrotechnic effects were halted, and cameras, gear, and wardrobe had to be shielded.

When filming was completed at Kualoa Ranch, the production moved to the coconut groves of Dillingham Estate on the North Shore of Oahu to shoot portions of the film's Tipo Pale sequence. This dusty and arid locale, provided a break from the rains of Kualoa. After two months of filming on location in Hawaii, the cast and crew then relocated to the mainland and continued filming in Southern California.

Naval Air Weapons Station, Point Mugu, was used to film the Camp Tarawa portion of the film, the Marines pre-battle embarkation point. The Veteran's Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles served as the location for the sequence in which Enders, while recuperating from battle injuries, meets Rita. After a few bitter cold nights of filming in Malibu Creek State Park, the cast and crew of Windtalkers finally moved to a privately owned ranch in the high desert of Los Angeles County for the remaining two months of filming.

THE CODE TALKERS

The idea of using the Navajo language to create a secure method of wartime communication is credited to Philip Johnston. Native American languages had been used before to encode messages during World War I, but Johnston knew how important it was that the military find a code that absolutely could not be broken. He was confident that the Navajo language was a perfect candidate for use in coding.

Johnston, the son of a missionary, grew up on a Navajo reservation and was one of the few non-Navajo able to speak the incredibly complicated and unwritten language. In 1942, once Johnston convinced the Marines of the language's usefulness, 29 Navajo Marines completed boot camp at the Marine Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. After boot camp they were sent to Camp Elliot (modern day Marine Air Corps Station Miramar) to develop the code. Eventually around 400 Navajo men were trained in the code's use and served as code talkers in the Pacific battles of the war.

During battle, the code talkers' primary objective was to facilitate communication on the battlefield, transmitting information over telephones and radios between Marine units and command centers about troop movement, orders, tactics, and other vital information. At Iwo Jima alone, the code talkers transmitted over 800 error-free messages in a 48-hour period. The Japanese were never able to break the code, and it became an indispensable tool for World War II military communication.

Because of its success and its possible use in future combat (the code was actually given limited use again in the Korean War), the code talkers were sworn to secrecy about their involvement in the war, and the code wasn't declassified until 1968. As a result, the code talkers' accomplishments went largely unheralded.

The 29 original Marine code talkers who developed the code were awarded Congressional Gold Medals in Washington, DC, by President George W. Bush on July 26, 2001. The original code talkers were:

THE CODE

The code created by the code talkers used basic Navajo words to symbolize 211 common military and wartime words and phrases. For instance, the Navajo term for "whale" stood for "battleship," "iron fish" meant "submarine," "chicken hawk" meant "dive bomber," "big harvest" meant "August," and "one silver bar" meant "lieutenant." For language not covered by these code words, other Navajo words were used to stand for a letter of the alphabet. For instance, the Navajo words for "apple" or "ant" stood for "A," "barrel" stood for "B," "cow" stood for "C," and so on. There were multiple Navajo words used for each letter to make the code less uniform and much more difficult to break. Letter by letter, the code talkers could spell out words and phrases for which they didn't already have code.

The reason the code was never broken is because of the complexity and subtlety of the Navajo language. Just a slight change in pronunciation and/or inflection of a Navajo word can change its meaning. And because it's unwritten, there were no resources to which the Japanese could refer. In fact, it's estimated that only about 28 non-Navajos had a comprehensive knowledge of the language at the time of the war.

A few more examples of the Navajo code:
The Navajo word(s) for: Stood for: