Photo of the Week

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Entertainment. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – Some weeks are more difficult than others to select our Photo of the Week.

This week our decision was not difficult.

Three World War II Veteran Navajo Code Talkers were invited Guests of President Obama

Rightfully so, Navajo Code Talkers are heroes among all people, Native and non-Native. The picture chosen was taken prior to the opening of the Fourth White House Tribal Nations conference Wednesday morning.

The three World War II Navajo Code Talkers veterans were invited guests of the White House to be part of the event. From left to right – Bill Toledo, Peter McDonald, Sr. and George James, Jr. – the three heroes were part of the color guard that morning.

This particular photograph was taken prior to the time they were to line up for the grand entry of the colors. They were seated in the auditorium early. Access by the press was limited to where they were seated. Persistence paid off and the Native News Network was granted a few minutes with the code talkers prior to the opening of the morning session.

By the time the White House photographer pool arrived, they seized the moment by shooting numerous photographs of three code talkers.

The next day, the three were featured in numerous newspapers across the country. By evening, a San Francisco American Indian inquired about the White House Tribal Nations conference and said:

"the one the Navajo Code Talkers attended. I saw them in the San Francisco Chronicle."

The code talkers were gracious enough to allow photographs of tribal leaders who attended.

During their visit to the nation's capital, the three code talkers visited the National Museum of the American Indian for the first time.

updated 11:10 am est; posted December 8, 2012 8:20 am est