The Navajo Code Talker Memorial Foundation

For Immediate ReleaseMedia contact: Sylvia Laughter

January 15, 2007

“Navajo Code Talkers to receive resolution of support for a U.S. Postage Stamp”

Phoenix, AZ-The Arizona State Senate on Tuesday’s Tribal Legislative Day, will hear a resolution in support of the first ever U.S. postage stamp commemorating the honorable service of the Navajo Code Talkers and 3 other minority veterans groups who served within the military branches of service during WWII.

According to former State Representative Sylvia Laughter, founder of the Navajo Code Talker Memorial Foundation”, a California Campaign organizing group approached her to combine their efforts to get the attention of the United States Postal Service.

“I was informed that there are two other minority groups that have tried to get the approval for a postage stamp and have not been successful.” Says Laughter. “It is our goal that with this resolution, we will finally gain the attention these 3 Veterans groups so rightly deserve.”

According to the resolution, the Navajo Code Talkers finally received the Congressional medals of Honor in 2001 from President George W. Bush and the Silver congressional medals the following year for their use of the Navajo language as a code.

Major Howard Conner, 5th Marine division Signal Officer was quoted as saying, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” Said Laughter.

The resolution further states, “When the U.S. government and public discovered that Japan was to blame for the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, misguided outrage was directed against Americans of Japanese descent. Patriotic Japanese American men in uniform were unfairly treated with suspicion”.

Many enlisted from war detention camps where they and their families were incarcerated due only to Japanese ancestry. Despite such discrimination against them, over 20,000 enlisted. Many would later openly explain that they served to prove their loyalty to America.

The Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, including the 100th Infantry Battalion, became the most highly-decorated unit for its size and length of service in American military history”.

“One of the main reasons that I worked on this is that I really believe that these stories may be lost unless we actively work to preserve them, and teach the youth about them.” Said Wayne Osako, California’s campaign organizer.

Osako, who, as the teacher workshop coordinator in 2006 for the Go for Broke National Education Center in Torrence, CA., helped train teachers in the Los Angeles area focusing on the Japanese American WWII veterans history. The workshops will now include the history of the 3 minority veterans groups.

“We have an obligation to remember the sacrifices that were made by these young men in World War II. This generation is now in their 80's and 90's, and they are passing away every year.” Said Osako.

In February of 2006, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) successfully introduced a bill to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal on the Tuskegee Airman.

According to the resolution, in July 1941, thirteen young Americans began military flight training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama. Five of those thirteen young men completed training and received their Army Air Corps silver pilot wings, becoming our nation’s first African-American military fighter pilots.

Between 1941 and 1946, over nine hundred men completed training to become part of what would later be known as the fearless and brave Tuskegee Airmen.

“It has been said that the Tuskegee Airmen faced two wars – one against a military force overseas and the other against racism and bigotry at home and abroad,” Schiff said.

“Yet, in the face of these challenges, they accepted their country’s call to service and fought heroically in great battles for freedom. I am so pleased that Congress has bestowed this high honor on them.” Said Schiff.

“A commemorative stamp would be a huge step toward remembering the important legacies of these men.” Said Osako. “If the US Postal Service can annually issue stamps recognizing fictional characters and pop icons, they can set aside a stamp to recognize real heroes from World War II.” He added.

The organizers plan to turn this into a nationwide campaign. “Once we gain the support of Arizona, we plan to do the same in California, New Mexico and Utah.” Said Laughter.

The resolutions will be forwarded to congress as well as to the 15 members of the United States Citizens Stamp Advisory committee of the United States Postal Service.

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