WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — John Kinsel Sr., a distinguished member of the Navajo Code Talkers who played a pivotal role in World War II by relaying messages in his native language, has passed away at the age of 107.
Navajo Nation officials in Window Rock confirmed his passing on Saturday.
In response to the news, Tribal President Buu Nygren has ordered that flags across the reservation be flown at half-staff until sunset on October 27, in tribute to Kinsel’s contributions.
“Mr. Kinsel was a Marine who bravely and selflessly fought for all of us in the most terrifying circumstances, bearing the tremendous responsibility as a Navajo Code Talker,” Nygren stated on Sunday.
With the loss of Kinsel, only two original Navajo Code Talkers remain: Peter MacDonald, a former Navajo Chairman, and Thomas H. Begay.
During World War II, hundreds of Navajo individuals were enlisted by the Marines to serve as Code Talkers. They used their then-unwritten native language to convey crucial messages, successfully baffling Japanese military cryptographers.
The Code Talkers actively participated in significant Marine assaults throughout the Pacific between 1942 and 1945, including major battles at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, and Iwo Jima.
Throughout the war, they transmitted thousands of accurate messages detailing enemy troop movements, battlefield strategies, and other vital communications that played a key role in the conflict’s outcome.
Kinsel was born in Cove, Arizona, and resided in the Navajo community of Lukachukai.
He enlisted in the Marines in 1942 and rose to the ranks of an elite Code Talker, serving in the 9th Marine Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division during the historic Battle of Iwo Jima.
In honor of the contributions made by the Navajo Code Talkers, President Ronald Reagan established Navajo Code Talkers Day in 1982. Celebrated on August 14, this day commemorates all tribes that contributed to the war effort.
The day is recognized as both a state holiday in Arizona and a special holiday on the expansive Navajo Nation, which spans areas in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah.