Oct. 20 (UPI) — John Kinsel Sr., one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who sent coded messages for the U.S. military during WWII through their tribe’s unwritten language, has died. He was 107.
Both the Navajo Nation and the U.S. Marines confirmed Kinsel died on Saturday.
“Mr. Kinsel was a Marine who bravely and selflessly fought for all of us in the most terrifying circumstances with the greatest responsibility as a Navajo Code Talker,” President Buu Nygren of the Navajo Nation said in a statement.
“He fought alongside his brothers in arms, for the U.S. Marine Corps, for the United States and to protect the Navajo Nation in a time of war.”
Kinsel’s son, Ronald Kinsel, had informed Nygren that his father died in his sleep early Saturday.
“He lived a very long, full and accomplished life. What he and the other Code Talkers accomplished changed the course of history, and will always be remembered, and I will continue to tell his legend and greatness,” the younger Kinsel said in a statement.
There were some 400 Navajo Code Talkers who participated in every U.S. Marine assault during WWII, transmitting messages in their native language, according to the U.S. Navy, which said the Japanese were never able to break the code.
Kinsel, who was born in Lukachukai, Ariz., served in the U.S. Marines from October 1942 to January 1946 and participated in the battles of Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima, according to a 2003 interview published on the Library of Congress’ website.
Nygren directed all flags on the Navajo Nation to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise Sunday through to sunset on Oct. 27 in Kinsel’s honor.
With Kinsel’s passing, only two Navajo Code Talkers remain: Peter McDonald and Thomas H. Begay, The Arizona Republic reported.
