Wes Watkins: “I had the distinct privilege, although one does not realize it as much when one is growing up, of growing up among the…”

“I had the distinct privilege, although one does not realize it as much when one is growing up, of growing up among the Choctaw Indians in southeast Oklahoma. I heard many of my elders talk about the days of using code talkers in World War I, and they were also utilized in World War II. So it is with a great deal of pride and nostalgia as I think back to what a lot of the elderly Native Americans with Choctaw ancestry were saying for me to be part of bringing this legislation, H.R. 3250, to the floor. Many people know the history of the code talkers of World War II; however, few people know the history of the code talkers of World War I. In the closing days of World War I, several members of the Choctaw Nation were helpful in winning key battles.”