Navajo Code Talker recalls battlefield

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK – The aroma of newly fallen rain on the dirt filled the air Tuesday evening as the days festivities surrounding National Code Talkers Day began to wind down at the Veteran’s Memorial Park.

The Code Talkers, wearing their familiar colored golden shirts, could easily be spotted among the crowds of people who came out to recognize and celebrate the Navajo Nation’s heroes. The rattle of gourds echoed in the park as veterans gathered together underneath a tent and closed the day singing honor songs.

Twenty-five years ago the Code Talkers were given a Certificate of Recognition by President Ronald Reagan and August 14 was officially named “National Code Talkers Day.” Military officials with the United States maintain today that the Battle of Iwo Jima would never have been won if it were not for the Code Talkers.

Code Talker Alfred Peaches, 82, was among the Code Talkers who came out for the day.

“Everything is just wonderful,” Peaches said, speaking of the day’s events.

While the day was filled with festivities and celebration, it also took Peaches back to the day when he left for the war.

It was 1943 when Alfred Peaches left Kayenta to enlist in the United States Marine Corps in November 1943. At 17-years old, he began training in radio communication in Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, and then served with the 6th Marine Division in Guadalcanal, Okinawa, Siapan, and North China.

“First I was afraid,” recalled Peaches of when he first arrived in Okinawa. “But about a week later, I wasn’t even scared.”

Peaches recalled how his initial fear turned into a need for survival.

He remembers a time on when he was on the island of Okinawa at Sugar Hill, and his regimen were pinned down by the enemy. Peaches remembers being at the bottom of the hill and seeing the enemies on higher ground.

“They were up on the hill,” he recalls. Reluctant to share details, he says a lot of people got killed.

Around 3 a.m., Peaches said the company commander ordered one platoon to make their way to the shoreline where there were Higgins boats waiting for them.

“We went along the shore line for about three miles,” said Peaches. “The mission was to attack from behind.”

Peaches was with one other Code Talker, but had to be separated after he was chosen to with the company group to a village called Yanton. Peaches said they made their way to the village as fast as they could through the vegetation. When they arrived, there was not a house standing, he said. It was daylight, and they begin to make their way back, but they were discovered by the enemy.

“It was really bad,” said Peaches, shaking his head. “Our platoon, I don’t know how many got killed.”

Peaches said they engaged in mostly hand-to-hand combat, and afterwards they turned around and went back. The evening was getting dark, and they had to rest. It was then that Peaches said they found a tomb about 12 by 10 feet filled with bodies.

“They used baskets and put the bodies in there stacked on top of each other,” said Peaches.

Desperate for shelter, they removed the bodies, and stayed the night in the tomb.

“That’s how we survived that night,” said Peaches.