Cord Byrd: “for those who toil in the clandestine world of national security, where the dictates of secrecy cloak heroes actions in…”

“for those who toil in the clandestine world of national security, where the dictates of secrecy cloak heroes actions in vaults full of files marked with code words and warnings, there are precious few opportunities to stand before bright lights and listen to applause. Today, a group of men were honored who kept their secret from 1942 until 1968, when their talents and contributions in winning the war in the Pacific were finally declassified. Today was their turn in the sun, as the President awarded the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers the Congressional Gold Medal. Now the world knows how these men gave the U.S. military a decisive edge in communications during the war in the Pacific theater and elsewhere. Their presence at Iwo Jima, at Guadalcanal, and throughout the Pacific provided U.S. military units with secure communications and the element of surprise that allowed U.S. forces to overwhelm dug-in Japanese units and win some of the bloodiest battles in World War II. The Navajo Code Talkers' unique contribution to the nation's security can be counted in those victories and in the number of servicemen who survived the war and returned home to their families.”