Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
GANADO, Ariz. (AP) — Flags are flying at half-staff on the Navajo Nation in honor of a Code Talker.
The tribe says Edward Anderson died Sunday at a Phoenix hospital. He was 89.
Navajo President Ben Shelly has ordered flags lowered in honor of Anderson through sunset Saturday.
Funeral services for Anderson are scheduled Friday at the Ganado Presbyterian Church, with burial to follow in Ft. Defiance.
Anderson enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp at the age of 18 and was one of hundreds of Navajos trained in a code based on their native language. The Japanese never were able to break the code, credited with helping the U.S. win World War II.
Anderson served with the Marines from 1942 to 1945.
He and his late wife, Ione Hillis Anderson, had five children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
