Tom Udall: “today I wish to pay tribute to Teddy Draper, Sr.--a brave Navajo code talker and a beloved teacher who has helped keep…”

“today I wish to pay tribute to Teddy Draper, Sr.--a brave Navajo code talker and a beloved teacher who has helped keep the Navajo language alive. Mr. Draper was born in Canyon del Muerto--a beautiful and ancient canyon within the Canyon del Chelly National Monument--near Chinle, AZ. Mr. Draper was a longtime and popular Chinle resident and passed away December 14, 2017, at age 96. He was one of the last Navajo code talker survivors. As a young boy, Mr. Draper grew up speaking Navajo and helping his family raise cattle, sheep, and turkeys in Canyon del Muerto. He didn't attend school until age 14. ``I barely knew a word of English,'' he said. At that time, the reservation's U.S. Government-run boarding school in Fort Wingate, NM, punished students for speaking Navajo. Time after time, ``I had to kneel in the corner,'' he said, and he tried to run away. The Marines recruited Mr. Draper from high school to join the Navajo code talkers. He served in the Fifth Marine Division and fought at Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was a critically strategic battle for the Allies. The island served as a Japanese air base and safe haven for naval units, and the Allies wanted to secure it to support bombing missions and emergency air landings. During the first 2 days of the 36-day battle, six Navajo code talkers worked around the clock, sending and receiving more than 800 messages--all without error.…”