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SUBMITTED PHOTOComanche code talkers played an Important role in World War II. Standing third from the left is the late Ralph Wahnee whose widow, Bessie Ruth Becky Wahnee, lives in Aiken.World War II code talkers wife gets a gold medal for his serviceBY DFDE BILESdbUes@aikenstandard. comAiken resident Bessie Ruth “Becky” Wahnee never asked her late husband Ralph what he did in World War II, and he never talked to her about it. But since his death in 1987, she has learned that he played an important role, serving as a Comanche code talker.On Nov. 20, Becky will accept a Congressional Gold Medal on Ralph’s behalf during a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center’s Emancipation Hall in Washington, D.C. The Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the country’s highest civilian awards.“It is the greatest honor that I will ever have in my lifetime,” Becky said. “I’m just overwhelmed by the whole situation. When 1 married Ralph, who would have ever thought it would go from that to this? It’s out of this world.”During World Wars I and II, the U.S. military used Native American servicemen to relay secret battle messages based on words from their traditional tribal languages. They became known as code talkers.According to the Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center’s website, the government handpicked 21 Comanche men to participate in the World War II code talker program. Seventeen went on to enlist in the Army, and they received training as radio operators and line repairmen with the 4th Infantry Division. The Army gave them free reign to develop secret Comanche code words that no one outside the group would be able to understand, includingother Comanches.Fourteen of the Comanche code talkers were sent overseas to fight in the European Theater.Please see CODE, Page 5ASTAFF PHOTO BY DEDE BILESBessie Ruth Becky Wahnee shows photographs that include one of the Comanche code talkers of World War II. Her late husband, Ralph Wahnee, was a code talker.
Newspaper Details
Aiken Standard
Aiken, South Carolina, US
Thu, Nov 14, 2013
Page 1
Full Page
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Canton S.
OK, USA 22 Jan 2021
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