WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — John Kinsel Sr., one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers, has passed away at the age of 107, the Navajo Nation Council announced on Saturday.
Kinsel was one of about 400 Navajos who helped develop a code using their native Diné language for the U.S. military to use during World War II. The code was deemed "unbreakable" and helped push the U.S. to victory in the war.
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"Beyond (Kinsel's) legacy of a warrior, he was also a proud Navajo man who upheld the values of his heritage while serving his country with distinction," Navajo Nation speaker Crystalyne Curley said. "As we honor his life, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, loved ones, and the entire Navajo Nation. May his spirit rest in peace, and may his memory continue to inspire generations to come."
Kinsel was born and lived in Lukachukai, Arizona, a small town located in between the town of Many Farms and the Arizona-New Mexico state line on the Navajo Nation.
A press release announcing Kinsel's death said he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 and was one of "the elite group of Navajo Code Talkers who played a critical role in military communications," as it helped keep transmissions secure during the battles of Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal and Okinawa.
"Kinsel was a revered Navajo Code Talker and an American hero, whose legacy as a Code Talker is marked not only by his service but by his continued dedication to sharing the story of the Navajo Code Talkers with future generations," Navajo Council delegate Carl Slater said.
According to a 2022 story from the Associated Press, Kinsel was one of just three Code Talkers still alive. The others are Peter MacDonald and Thomas Begay, both of whom are still alive.
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