According to a statement from the Navajo Nation, Samuel Sandoval, one of the last Navajo Code Talkers to have served during World War II, passed away on Friday. Let’s see how did Samuel Sandoval die and, his cause of death.
Samuel Sandoval Cause of death
Sandoval died 98, late Friday at a clinic in Shiprock, New Mexico, his wife, Malula told the Press on Saturday.
According to his family, Samuel Sandoval cause of death was natural. Once there is enough information, we will update the details on this page.
Who was Samuel Sandoval?
Samuel Sandoval, one of the last Navajo Code Talkers from World War II, died on Friday, according to a statement from the Navajo Nation.
Sandoval was one of the thousands of young Navajo men who served in the military during the South Pacific Theater of the war, sending and receiving messages via an 813-word code derived from the Navajo language.
Sandoval was born in Nageezi, New Mexico, in 1922 and joined the Marine Corps in 1943. At the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in California, where the 29 original Code Talkers had arrived in 1942, he finished basic training.
The original Navajo recruits were charged with creating an unbreakable code utilizing terms from their language and encoding it with word substitution to send tactical information over the phone and radio.
According to the CIA, the Navajo language was chosen as a code since it was not written and only a small number of persons who are not of Navajo heritage could speak it.
The Code Talkers, who were employed in every significant Marine action in the Pacific theatre, is credited with aiding the US in capturing Iwo Jima.
Sandoval fought in five combat deployments, including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Peleliu, and Okinawa, before receiving an honorable discharge on January 26, 1946, according to a Navajo Nation press release.
For more than 20 years, up until the operation’s declassification in 1968, he and the other Navajo Code Talkers were unable to discuss the code.
When was the Navajo Code Talkers Day?
The Navajo Code Talkers received a Certificate of Recognition from then-President Ronald Reagan in 1982, and his administration proclaimed August 14 as Navajo Code Talkers Day.
Samuel Sandoval Achievements
According to the press release, Sandoval received numerous awards for his service, including a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, a Combat Action Ribbon, a China Service Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, a Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp, and an Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with a silver star in place of five bronze stars.
Additionally, Sandoval was given the National WWII Museum’s 2022 American Spirit Award for Bravery earlier this year.
After serving in the Marine Corps, Sandoval obtained a certificate in substance misuse therapy and found employment as a counselor in Farmington, New Mexico, according to the press release.
Sandoval established his facility, To-Tah Alcohol Counseling, in the 1970s.
Myron Lizer, vice president of the Navajo Nation said,
“Samuel Sandoval, a Navajo Code Talker, was a brave warrior and a loving father. He was a compassionate person who deeply cared for his people in every element of his life, “Today, as we give thanks for his life and his legacy, I ask our Diné people to remember his spirit and his family in their prayers.”
Who are the three Navajo Code Talkers alive today?
There are still three Navajo Code Talkers alive today: Thomas H. Begay, John Kinsel Sr., and Peter MacDonald.
What was Samuel Sandoval’s profession?
One of the last Navajo Code Talkers who used a language-based code to relay messages during World War II is Samuel Sandoval.
The huge Navajo Nation produced a large number of Navajos who were selected to serve as code talkers in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Today, only Thomas H. Begay, Peter MacDonald, and John Kinsel Sr. are still alive.
The Code Talkers, who sent hundreds of signals without error about Japanese troop movements, combat strategy, and other messages crucial to the success of the war, supported every Marine attack in the Pacific.
The Navajo language-based code, which is credited with helping the Americans win the war, confounded Japanese military cryptographers.
He contributed to expanding the vocabulary and alphabet that the original group of 29 Navajos established by recruiting other Navajo pupils from the school to serve as Code Talkers.
Sandoval served in five combat deployments before being honorably discharged in 1946.
As soon as their objective was made known to the public in 1968, the Code Talkers were prohibited from discussing their work.
Tributes to Samuel Sandoval’s death
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez’s statement on Samuel Sandoval’s death.
“will always be remembered as a kind and courageous guy who sacrificed more than we will ever know to preserve our homelands utilizing our holy Navajo language,” according to Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
“Even though his passing has crushed us, we will never forget him or his legacy. On behalf of the Navajo Nation, we offer prayers and our sincere condolences to his wife, Malia Sandoval, his kids, and all of his loved ones.
Samuel Sandoval, one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages in World War II using a code based on their native language, has died at 98.
Our country lost a hero today. Samuel Sandoval was a Navajo Code Talker who served 5 combat tours in WWII. Using Navajo language, he secretly transmitted messages that Axis powers could not crack. Code Talkers have been credited with helping the US win the war. Thank you, sir.
Thank you for your service sir, with love and the utmost respect. God bless your soul.
May his memory be a blessing.
Shawn tweeted,
Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval has passed away at the age of 98. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946. He was 18 at the time of his enlistment & was honorably discharged on Jan. 26, 1946. His family is raising money for funeral expenses gofund.me/3a7dec85
It’s a sad loss. Sam will be honored on August 14th, in conjunction with events commemorating National Navajo Code Talkers Day at Tse Bonito, NM. nationalnavajocodetalkersday.com Semper Fi, Sam.
Keep Reading,
How did Raymond Raposa die? cause of death Revealed
How did Mark Sagert die? Lawn Tractor Roll over Accident Explained
Follow us on Twitter to get instant notifications on the latest news.
Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.