Column: Native Code Talkers defended nation with languages

On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the great freedoms we have in America, and perhaps reflect on those who fight and fought to keep America free. So many have suffered much for the sake of our freedom and some are ones we so often overlook, like minorities, who also answered the call to duty and did what they could to preserve the great freedoms of our country. Some gave their all.

Consider the five Littlejohn brothers from the Hokah /Brownsville area during World War II. They were of the Winnebago tribe, also known as the Ho-Chunk Nation, which is the name they originally called themselves. It means “People of the first voice,” or “People of the big voice.” The tribe was native to the Green Bay area and points west and south in Wisconsin for many centuries until they were ever pushed west of the Mississippi River and to other places.

All five sons of the 10-children family of Grant and Rachel Littlejohn served in WWII. They were: (in 1943) Corporal (became Sergeant) Howard Littlejohn, 24, then at Camp Barkeley, Texas; Corporal Edward (Eddie) Littlejohn, 27, (father of Greg Littlejohn of Hokah) serving in North Africa and later, in Italy; Private Warren Littlejohn, 22, then at Camp Polk, La.; Private First Class Lawrence Littlejohn, 33, Hawaii and South Pacific; and (Private First Class) Woodrow (Woody) Littlejohn, about 16 when he signed up for duty. He served with field artillery in the Southwest Pacific and was given a medical discharge.

A track champion in the Army, six-foot four-inch Howard Littlejohn became one of the now famous Code Talkers who served on the front lines in Europe (Germany) during WWII. Germany and Japan had a great knack for breaking codes until Phillip Johnston, who grew up on a Navajo reservation and spoke fluent Navajo, came up with the idea of using languages unknown to them – the Native American languages.