Kiowa Code Talkers

The Kiowa Code Talkers played a significant and heroic role during World War II. Among them were Private First Class Leonard “Red Wolf” Cozad, Sr. (1916–2005); Private First Class James Paddlety, Jr. (1918–1973); and Private John Tsatoke (1920–1989), all born within the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservation in Southwest Oklahoma. Enlisting in the United States Army, these men served with the 689th Field Artillery under XX Corps in the European Theater.

During intense combat conditions, the Kiowa Code Talkers laid communication wires and relayed critical military messages using their native Kiowa language, a hybrid dialect unfamiliar to the enemy. Their unique use of the Kiowa language as a code baffled German forces. Messages were transmitted, received, and translated with a level of security that was never compromised. As a direct result, their efforts protected countless Allied soldiers and were instrumental in ensuring the success of several operations. The Kiowa Code Talkers coded language was never broken.

In recognition of their valor, ingenuity, and invaluable contribution to the war effort, the United States formally honored the Kiowa Code Talkers decades later. President George W. Bush signed the Code Talker Recognition Act into law on 15 October 2008, bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously upon these brave warriors. On 20 November 2013, the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma accepted the Congressional Gold Medal on their behalf in Emancipation Hall, Washington, D.C. Individual Silver Congressional Medals were also presented to each Code Talker family representative.

The legacy of the Kiowa Code Talkers endures, embodying the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation’s motto: “Spirit of a Warrior, Heart of a Patriot.” Their story stands as a testament to courage, ingenuity, and the enduring power of language in service to a grateful nation and the pursuit of freedom.