In 1942, the US Marine Corps recruited Chester Nez, and twenty-eight fellow members of the Navajo tribe for a special mission. After basic training, they were sent to Camp Elliot, California where they developed a cipher code for transmitting radio messages based on the Navajo language. Each member committed the straightforward code to memory.
With the code complete, the platoon members then deployed to units in the Pacific Theater. Nez was assigned to the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. His first encoded transmission led to an artillery strike which destroyed an enemy machine gun nest.
Nez would later see combat at Bougainville, Guam and Peleliu, all the while relaying messages in a radio code the Japanese could never crack. For their contributions in developing such an unbreakable code, as well as their bravery in the field, Chester Nez and his twenty-eight fellow Marines were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001.
The code talkers, as these men were known, are today one of the better known examples of Native Americans serving in the American military. However, Native Americans, Alaskans and Hawaiians have long served in the Armed Forces, from Valley Forge through Iwo Jima to Iraq and Afghanistan. Today there are approximately 140,000 veterans of Native heritage.
In 2013, Congress amended legislation to direct the National Museum of the American Indian to build a memorial so all Americans can learn “of the proud and courageous tradition of service of Native Americans”.
As part of a nationwide competition, a design committee selected a proposal entitled Warrior’s Circle of Honor submitted by Harvey Pratt, a self-taught artist and Marine veteran from Oklahoma and a member of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes. As the name suggests, the circle is the prominent shape of the memorial’s features.
The focus of the memorial is a vertically oriented stainless-steel circle, situated on a carved stone drum surrounded by circular seating area and gathering space.
The circle is relevant in many Native American cultures. It represents the cycle of life, as well as the four seasons, the sun, the moon and the orbits of the planets and stars. Native communities also gather in circles for ceremonies, festivals and storytelling.
The memorial design is about more than the circle of course. Pratt also sought to create a space for servicemen and women, veterans and their families to heal by combining the elements of water, wind, and earth into the memorial’s design.
Flowing water glistens atop the carved stone drum at the National Native American Veterans Memorial
Water pulses across the surface of the stone drum and flows down its side creating a central fountain. The stone work around the drum contains a visual echo of the water, with concentric rings in the stone walkways around the drum. The depiction represents the beating of the drum, hearkening all to gather in the space.
Around the seating area are four spears pointed skyward. The spears hold prayer cloths visitors have tied to the base of the spears allowing the wind to carry the intentions of the prayer cloths to the heavens.
Finally, a park-like setting is built around the memorial combining hardwood trees and a wetland pond. The setting is intended to provide privacy for visitors while a soundtrack of Native American veterans songs aids in reflection.
Two spears, pointed toward the heavens with prayer cloths tied to their bases.
The memorial is located to the east of the main entrance plaza of the National Museum of the American Indian. A large stone marker with the emblems of the five branches of the Armed Forces marks the way.
Within the museum, an exhibit entitled Why We Serve provides background, rationale and compelling examples through history of the military service of Native Americans, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians to the United States. The exhibit is also available online.
The memorial is above all a welcoming place. Welcoming to Native Americans and their families to heal and reflect. Welcoming to other visitors as well to learn, to rest and also to consider the meaning of service to country and community.
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Route Recon
The National Museum of the American Indian is located on the south side of the National Mall at the intersection of Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20560. The main entrance faces east toward the US Capitol Building.
The nearest Metro stations are L’Enfant Plaza and Federal Center SW.
The museum does not have parking. There is limited metered public parking on the surrounding streets. There are also several commercial parking garages nearby the museum.
The National Native American Veterans Memorial is accessible 24 hours a day.
Learn more about Chester Nez and his fellow Navajo Code Talkers from the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress.
Mess Call
The Mitsitam Cafe, located within the National Museum of the American Indian offers a very broad menu of entrees, sandwiches and desserts reflecting Native American cuisines from across the country, such as grilled salmon, bison burgers and lobster roll. The cafe offers some of the tastiest food to be found on the National Mall.
Command Reading
Why We Serve by Alexandra N. Harris and Mark G. Hirsh. Why We Serve was published by the National Museum of the American Indian to commemorate the opening of the National Native American Veterans Memorial in 2020. The book explores the complex history of Native Americans serving in the US military with intriguing photographs, maps and artwork combined with compelling first person accounts.
Travel Objective DC 