John Kinsel Sr.: A Legacy of Valor
John Kinsel Sr., a distinguished World War II veteran and one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers, passed away on Saturday at the remarkable age of 107. This group of brave Marines played a crucial role in securing an Allied victory in the Pacific through their use of encrypted messages rooted in the Navajo language. The announcement of Mr. Kinsel’s death was made by Buu Nygren, the president of the Navajo Nation, via social media, though no specific cause was provided.
During World War II, an estimated 400 Navajo Code Talkers served, utilizing a unique code derived from the Navajo language. This innovative communication method was instrumental in confounding Japanese forces and effectively conveying vital information regarding troop movements, enemy positions, and other essential battlefield intelligence. Mr. Kinsel was among the second group of Marines trained as code talkers at Camp Elliott in California, serving from October 1942 until January 1946, following the original 29 who developed the code for military use.
Remarkably, the code created by these courageous men was never deciphered by enemy forces. Their extraordinary story was later fictionalized in the film “Windtalkers,” directed by John Woo, which brought greater awareness to their contributions.
In a reflective interview with The Arizona Republic in 2019, Mr. Kinsel shared memories of his training alongside 25 fellow Marines at Camp Elliott. He recounted his experience collaborating with some of the original 29 Code Talkers to expand the code further, including the creation of specific code words for military terminology such as “tank” and “aircraft.”
Assigned to the Ninth Marine Regiment of the Third Marine Division, Mr. Kinsel participated in significant battles including those at Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, Guam, and Iwo Jima. Although he was never deployed directly to the front lines, he played a vital role at division headquarters while stationed on Bougainville Island, where he was instrumental in developing code and transcribing critical messages.