2014 -- H 8286

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LC005873

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE HONORABLE LINCOLN CHAFEE TO LOWER ALL

STATE FLAGS AS A VISIBLE PUBLIC REMINDER TO ALL RHODE ISLANDERS OF

THE SACRIFICES AND HEROIC ACTIONS OF CHESTER NEZ AND THE ORIGINAL

TWENTY-NINE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Abney, McLaughlin, DeSimone, Shekarchi, and

     Date Introduced: June 05, 2014

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, As many young men did during World War II, Chester Nez lied about his

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age in order to enlist in the Marines. He was only in the 10th grade. Filled with pride for his

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heritage and an abiding love for his country, Chester Nez became one of the twenty-nine Navajo

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men who became the original code talkers; and

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     WHEREAS, During World War II, men from the Navajo Nation were recruited to

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develop a "code" that could be used to transmit sensitive and secretive military messages that the

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Japanese would not be able to understand; and

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     WHEREAS, The men spent thirteen weeks creating a glossary of words that utilized the

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Navajo language as the basis for the military's confidential transmissions. Their code was never

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broken; and  

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     WHEREAS, In addition to successfully creating an unbreakable code, the Navajo Code

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Talkers took part in every assault the United States Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to

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1945, and served in all six Marine divisions; and

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     WHEREAS, Sadly, at the age of ninety-three, Chester Nez passed away in June of

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2014.  He was the last surviving member of the twenty-nine original and heroic Navajo Code

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Talkers; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby extends our deepest sympathy on the passing of Chester Nez. We

 

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furthermore honor and applaud the contributions of all the Navajo Code Talkers and respectfully

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request the Honorable Lincoln Chafee to lower all state flags as a visible public reminder to all

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Rhode Islanders of the sacrifices and heroic actions of these brave men; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Lincoln Chafee.

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LC005873

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