Guadalcanal

When the first group of Navajos finished code school they were shipped out to Guadalcanal.  Guadalcanal is the largest island in the Solomon Islands at 90 miles long and 25 miles wide.  The Navajos found themselves having to prove their code to the higher ranked officers.  After proving themselves to the officers, they then had to remember to say an American word before they said the message so that Americans manning the radios would know that it was a Navajo and not a Japanese person.

The first task at Guadalcanal would be on Debarkation Day (D-Day) when they would land on the beaches.  When they got to the shore the Japanese ran away leaving lots of gear behind.  Despite not having to fight their way onto the shore, there was bad news because they had found Japanese radar, which the Americans didn’t have.  That night there was no celebrating.  As the days passed and the battle raged; the Navajos proved that they were a highly effective way to send messages.  Guadalcanal was the first of many battles in which the Navajos played an important role in winning for the Americans.