Navajo Nation Flag at Half-staff to Honor the Late Code Talker Keith Little

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For His Service

WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA - Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly has ordered the Navajo Nation flag to be flown at half-staff through sundown January 8, to honor Navajo Code Talker Keith Little, who passed away on Tuesday at age 87, for his service to his country in World War II.

"The Navajo Nation is saddened by the loss of another hero. He was a national treasure, who led the Navajo Code Talkers through the Navajo Code Talkers Association and the Navajo Code Talkers Foundation. He believed in sharing his stories and was fundraising for the National Code Talker Museum and Veterans Center. Myself, the Vice President and First Lady offer our support and prayers to the family during this time," said President Ben Shelly.

Code Talker Keith Little

Pfc. Little was born on March 4, 1924 near Tonalea, Ariz. He was 17 years of age, when he enlisted with the USMC and completed boot camp at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, Calif. Afterward, he entered the USMC Communication Training Center. He eventually would become a Navajo Code Talker and transfer to the 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division. His service took him to communicate the unbroken military voiced code in battles at Saipan, Tinion and Iwo Jima.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1945, Pfc. Little returned to complete his schooling at Chilacco Indian School in Oklahoma. He then attended college at Weber State College in Ogden, Utah. During which time, he worked at the Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City, Utah.

Pfc. Little would eventually work for the Navajo Tribal Sawmill as a logger and advanced to logging manager for the Navajo Forest Products Industry in Navajo, New Mexico, where he worked until he retired in 1987.

For his service as a Code Talker, President George W. Bush presented Pfc. Little the Congressional Silver Medal in 2001.

At the time of Pfc. Little's death, he was president of the Board of Directors of the Navajo Code Talkers Foundation and was serving as president of the Navajo Code Talkers Association.

A public memorial service is scheduled for on Friday at Nakai Hall in Window Rock and a funeral service is scheduled on 10 am on Saturday in Fort Defiance at the Assembly of God Church.

The family plans to have a family meeting at 2 pm at the Crystal Chapter House, where donations for his funeral services will be accepted.

posted January 5, 2011 9:20 am est