American Indian Veterans with an Emphasis on Code Talkers
Labriola Center
This bibliography lists both general works on native veterans as well as primary sources for research that are available in the University Libraries, Arizona State University, and the Labriola National American Indian Data Center in particular.
Nearly all general works on native veterans were written in the past ten years, part of a burgeoning interest in the topic. The main exceptions to that have been works on the Code Talkers. This bibliography does NOT include works on Indian scouts of the nineteenth century or Indian nations as allies fighting alongside the United States against other Indian nations. The guide is on the web at: www.asu.edu/lib/archives/labriola.htm
General Works on Native Veterans
American Indians in World War I: At Home and Abroad, Thomas Britten. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1996. Concentrates on providing an overview of the native experience in World War I.
American Indians and World War II: Toward a New Era in Indian Affairs, Alison Bernstein. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991. The main focus of the book is on policy, especially how the war affected the New Deal for Indians.
Al Carroll Collection, Contains information used for his dissertation covering American Indians in World War I and II, Vietnam, Korea, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Ask for inventory accession #2004-03705.
Crossing the Pond: The Native American Effort in World War II, Jere Franco. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1998. The author gives a broad overview of the native experience during the war in addition to providing a close look at the sovereignty issue.
"From Reorganization to Relocation: Arizona Indians and World War II," Tina Moore. Master's thesis, Arizona State University, 1995. Also covers the periods before and after the war.
The Iroquois Struggle for Survival: From World War II to Red Power, Laurence Hauptman. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1986. A landmark work, groundbreaking in its use of oral accounts, that focuses on tribal histories told from the Six Nations' own point of view.
Navajos and World War II, Broderick Johnston ed. Tsaile, AZ: Navajo Community College Press, 1977. A collection of first person accounts by Navajo veterans and their relatives, gathered in the 1970s.
Of Uncommon Birth: Dakota Sons in Vietnam, Mark St. Pierre. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003 A work of creative nonfiction inspired by the true story of two South Dakota teenagers, Mark St. Pierre's Of Uncommon Birth draws upon extensive interviews and exhaustive research in military archives to present a harrowing story of two young men-one white, one Indian-caught in the vortex of the Vietnam War.
A Seneca Indian in the Union Army: the Civil War letters of Sergeant Isaac Newton Parker, 1861-1865, Laurence M. Hauptman, ed. Shippensburg, Pa.: Burd Street Press, 1995.
Strong Hearts, Wounded Souls, Tom Holm. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1996. The only book on native veterans of Vietnam, as well as the only general work from a native scholar and not by a historian. (Holm is Cherokee and a political scientist.) It was the first book to completely break with assimilationist perspectives on native veterans.
"A Study of Cultural Resistance: The Veterans of World War II at Zuni Pueblo," John Adair. Master's thesis, University of New Mexico, 1948. An older thesis that focuses on conflict between newly returned veterans and the native community.
World War II and the American Indian, Kenneth Townsend. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2000. The latest work on native veterans, presenting a theme of the military as a way of assimilation.
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Codetalker Keith M. Little |
Codetalker Wilford Buck |
Codetalkers Wilford Buck and Joe F. Price |
Books on Code Talkers
The Comanche Code Talkers of World War II, William C. Meadows. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2002. This text tells the full story of the Comanche Code Talkers. Drawing on interviews with all surviving members of the unit, their original training officer, and fellow soldiers, as well as military records and news accounts, William C. Meadows follows the group from their recruitment and training to their active duty in World War II and on through their postwar lives up to the present.
Navajo Code Talkers, Nathan Asaeng. New York: Walker, 1992. Describes how the military employed a group of Navajos who created an unbreakable code based on their native language.
The Navajo Code Talkers, Doris Paul. Philadelphia: Dorrance, 1971. The first book written on the Code Talkers shortly after their existence was declassified by the military.
Navaho Weapon, Sally McLain. Boulder, CO: Books Beyond Borders Inc., 1994. Details the little known stories of Navajo Code Talkers of World War II.
Phillip Johnston and the Navajo Code Talkers, Sybil Lagerquist. Billings: Montana Indian Publication Fund, 1975. An older and brief book that focuses on the relationship between the Code Talkers and Johnston, the son of a missionary who first suggested Navajos be employed for cryptology.
They Talked Navajo=Dine Bizaad Choziid. Window Rock AZ: Navajo Tribal Museum, 1971. Compiled by the Doris Duke Indian Oral History Project, this is a record of the 1971 Code Talkers reunion in Window Rock.
Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers, Durett Deane. New York: Facts on File, 1998. Describes the role of a select group of Navajo Marines who developed a code based on their own native language during World War II.
Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers, Kenji Kawano. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1990. Includes many illustrations by the noted photographer.
Winds of Freedom: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers, Margaret Bixler. Darrien, CT: Two Bytes Publishing, 1995. Includes bibliographical references and index as well as a map on lining paper.
Reference Books on Native Veterans and Code Talkers
The following reference books in the Labriola Center contain articles on native veterans or aspects of their experience.
Atlas of the North American Indian, Carl Waldman ed. New York:
Facts on File, 2000.
Encylopedia of Native American Religions, Arlene Hirschfelder
ed. New York: Facts on File, 1992.
Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, Carl Waldman ed. New York:
Facts on File, 1999.
Native America in the Twentieth Century, Mary Davis ed. New York:
Garland Publishing, 1994.
Ephemera
Included are small manuscripts, informational brochures, museum publications, photographs (including slides), radio transcripts, and poetry. Every possible topic is covered providing a great variety of material for research. To locate ephemera related to Native veterans and Code Talkers, search the American Indian Index and/or the Arizona and Southwestern Index, which is accessed from the Index tab on the University Libraries homepage. Type in searches such as "veterans," "world war," "Vietnam," "warrior society," "honor ceremony," and "Code Talker."
Sound and Video Recordings
Code Talkers, [sound recording] Vincent Craig. Phoenix, AZ: Heard Museum, 1982. Contains two songs: "Code Talkers" and "Good bye Miss Rodeo." LAB AUDIO AT-128.
Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers, [electronic resource]: Oral History Transcript, Benis M. Frank, interviewer. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1976. CD-ROM
Navajo Code Talkers: A Film, [videorecording] Tom McCarthy, Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium. Includes scenes of 1940s archival footage of Navajo life, World War II, interviews with Peter McDonald, Carl Gorman, and R.C. Gorman, and the Presidential commendation by Ronald Reagan.
Navajo Code Talkers During World War II, [electronic resource] Kelsie Axelrod, Washington State, n.p., 2004. Narrated slide show documentary about Navajo code talkers in World War II. Originally an entry in the National History Day competition and named a finalist in the regional competition in the state of Washington. CD-ROM
Navajo Code Talking, [video recording] A&E Television Networks, 1998. Describes the role of a select group of Navajo Marines who developed a code based on their native language that provided a means for secure communications among American forces in the Pacific during World War II.
Recollections of Charles Chibitty: the Last Comanche Codetalker, [video recording] Dwayne Noble, Eric Noble, Jeff Eskew, Hidden Path Productions, 2000. Interview with Charles Chibitty, a Comanche codetalker in Europe during World War II.
Oral Histories
American Indian Oral History Collection, El Paso, TX: Southwest Micropublishing, 1990. Here are transcripts of oral histories held at the University of New Mexico in conjunction with the Center for Southwest Research on the Navajo and Pueblo Indians. A guidebook is available.
Oral History Tapes of Ralph Cameron. On tape one, Ralph Cameron speaks about his World War II military exploits from childhood to leaving for Panama. On side two, he speaks about sailing to Panama and his arrival in the South Pacific.
University of South Dakota Indian Oral History Collection, American Indian Research Project, Glen Rock, NJ: Microfilming Corporation of America, 1975. Part of the New York Times Oral History Program on microfilm. A collection of interviews with Plains Indians and those working with them. Some native veterans of the world wars discuss their experiences, including some Canadian military veterans. A guidebook is available.
Online Resources
The following indexes and databases are accessed from the University Libraries home page by clicking on "Indexes" and entering the title of the database in the space provided. Useful searches include: "American Indian veterans," "native veterans," "world war American Indians," "Vietnam American Indians," "warrior society," "honor ceremony," and "Code Talker."
America History and Life is useful for searches of scholarly journals. Searches extend back to 1954. Indexes and Abstracts over 2,400 articles, bibliographic citations of reviews and dissertations on the history and culture of the USA and Canada from prehistoric times to the present time.
Archives USA is a current directory of 5,400 repositories and 124,400 collections of primary source material across the United States. Using ArchivesUSA, researchers are able to read descriptions of a repository's holdings to determine if a collection contains material useful to their work. Each collection record links to its corresponding repository record, simplifying the research process. Microfiche finding guides are available in the University Libraries.
Bibliography of Native North Americans covers the history, life and culture of native North Americans. Indexes works from the 16th century to the present, including monographs, essays, journal articles, government documents, historical and ethnographic books, and dissertations.
Ethnic Newswatch contains articles from a variety of native-oriented and tribally run newspapers such as Akwesasne Notes and Indian Country Today from 1989 until the present. Full-text of ethnic, minority and native press newspapers, magazines and journals. Provides a broad diversity of perspectives and viewpoints. Represents the diversity of the American population in ways that are not seen in the mainstream media.
Ingenta (formerly Uncover) Contains citations to articles taken from tables of contents of nearly 17,000 journal titles held by libraries throughout the United States. An online document delivery system enables user to request the complete text of articles for a fee.
Realia
GI Joe Navajo Code Talker Doll, Pawtucket, RI, Hasbro Inc., 1999. Speaks seven Navajo phrases along with the English translation. Includes lists of words from the Navajo Code. LAB EPH IN-194.
Navajo Code Game, Title I Navajo Curriculum Development and Production Center, n.d. Intended for middle school children. Includes game pieces, map, worksheets, and teacher's edition. LAB LSM-52.
Websites
In addition to the most important links listed below, there are a number of ever changing sites set up by veterans, veteran groups and warrior societies, and relatives and friends of native veterans. While valuable for describing how veteran service is viewed in individual and collective memory, the accuracy of such sites is open to debate, especially for interpretations of major events.
- "Native Americans in the US Military," www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-1.htm This is a good place to start, with a broad overview of native veterans. It also has links on the Code Talkers.
- "The People's Path Home Page-American and Canadian Indians in the Military," www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/military.htm This has perhaps the largest collection of links related to native veterans on the web and is regularly updated.
Navajo Code Talkers Association
Jean Whitehorse, Secretary
POB 20
Smith Lake, New Mexico, 87365
Telephone: (505) 786-7223
Al Carroll, Graduate Teaching Assistant
Labriola National American Indian Data Center
University Libraries, Arixzona State University
Tempe, Arizona 85287 Fall 2001
Page last modified: August 22, 2007
