R.I.P. - Last Comanche Code-Talker

[-Cp]

The last Comanche Code-Talker, Charles Chibitty has passed away. He died at around 4 p.m. today in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He was 83 years of age, just shy of 84. Charlie had been ill and in the hospital for several months.

He was a friend to many of us and a good father, husband and soldier.

:usa:

 

[Adam's Apple]

We owe all those guys such a debt of gratitude. If it hadn't been for them developing a code that the Japanese couldn't break, Japan may have been able to attack the U.S. mainland. Did you ever see the movie "Windtalkers" about the taking of the island of Saipan and the Japanese's efforts to capture the Indian code makers? Good story, but it sure is a gory movie from start to finish.

 

[archangel]

And the Grandfather waits to embrace you...adios amigo!

 

[archangel]

We owe all those guys such a debt of gratitude. If it hadn't been for them developing a code that the Japanese couldn't break, Japan may have been able to attack the U.S. mainland. Did you ever see the movie "Windtalkers" about the taking of the island of Saipan and the Japanese's efforts to capture the Indian code makers? Good story, but it sure is a gory movie from start to finish.

most part Navajo...not Commanche..although it is not well reported that other nations were also involved!

 

[Adam's Apple]

Yes, I know the "Windtalkers" movie was about the Navajo code developers; but since your article stated that Chitbitty was a Comanche, I thought there must have been more Indians than just the Navajo involved in this significant war activity. Whatever tribe they came from, I am eternally grateful to them for their service to our country in developing codes that the Japanese couldn't break, thus enabling us to win the war.

 

[archangel]

Yes, I know the "Windtalkers" movie was about the Navajo code developers; but since your article stated that Chitbitty was a Comanche, I thought there must have been more Indians than just the Navajo involved in this significant war activity. Whatever tribe they came from, I am eternally grateful to them for their service to our country in developing codes that the Japanese couldn't break, thus enabling us to win the war.

This was not my article....I just commented on anothers...cp attached the "Commanche to the "Navajo" not me...but for arguments sake "Commanche" were a Nation mostly of "Apache" as were some Navajos through inter Nation bonding..and inter nation mating with y'all and me for that matter...1/4 commanche by record..they were for the most part inter-racial mixes...more akin to rebels without a true cause...dunno! all were considered true "Warriors" though.......damn now I am confusing myself...must blame it on the "Heat wave"...lol

 

[William Joyce]

I talked with one of these guys once. I asked about the code (figured it was safe by then). They used the native word for "whale" to describe aircraft carriers, "bird" to describe planes, and so on. Very interesting stuff.

 

[Adam's Apple]

It is an interesting story. Would make a terrific movie. A positive Indian movie, for once.

 

[Adam's Apple]

I read an obituary for Charlie Chibitty in The Indianapolis Star today. It said he was a "code talker" for the Allies, working to develop a code that the Germans could not crack. He also participated in the landing at Normandy. This cleared up the mystery for me. The Navajo "code talkers" worked the Pacific theatre. Chibitty said when he was in school, he was not permitted to speak his native tongue, and he found it quite ironic that his native tongue was what helped win the war for America. But he was very proud to have served the country in this way.