John Werito Goes to War, A Story of a WWII Navajo Code Talker

"74 years ago this month, a scant seven months after being wounded in the Battle of Saipan, U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class John Werito, with the military specialty 642 – Code Talker, embarked aboard LST 763 at Kahului Maui for a one month voyage to a little known volcano island called Iwo Jima, a place that would soon be indelibly stamped into Marine Corps lore. According to Major Howard Connor, the 5th Marine Division signal officer during the battle, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” And so goes, were it then not for John Werito. This is his story."

John Werito Goes to War; A Story of a WWII Diné [Navajo] Code Talker


Dave