Samuel Billison, one of the most prominent Navajo Code Talkers, died on Wednesday of heart complications. He was around 78 or 79.

Billison enlisted in the U.S. Marines at a young age and was recruited as a Code Talker. He served in the Pacific Theater, where the skills of the Navajo soldiers in developing and using an unbreakable code helped the U.S. win World War II.

Billison received a Congressional Silver Medal for his efforts. He was one of more than 300 young Navajos who followed the original group of Code Talkers, who received Gold Medals.

Billison served as the public spokesman for his fellow soldiers as president of the Navajo Code Talkers Association. His voice was recorded for the Navajo Code Talker GI Joe doll.

Billison was more than a Code Talker. He was an educator who worked as a teacher, principal and superintendent. He also spent two terms on the Navajo Nation Council.

Get the Story:
Codetalker Billison dies (The Farmington Daily Times 11/18)
Code Talker Was Voice of GI Joe Doll (The Albuquerque Journal 11/18)
Samuel Billison, was a Code Talker (AP 11/18)
Navajo Nation Speaker's statement on the loss of Dr. Samuel Billison (Navajo Nation Council 11/17)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Code Talkers - http://www.navajocodetalkers.org
Sen. Jeff Bingaman's Code Talkers' Site - http://bingaman.senate.gov/code_talkers
Harrison Lapahie Jr's Code Talkers' Site - http://www.lapahie.com/NavajoCodeTalker.html

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