| Frank Chee Willeto | |
|---|---|
| 4th Vice President of the Navajo Nation | |
In office August 1998[1] – January 12, 1999 | |
| President | Milton Bluehouse, Sr. |
| Preceded by | Milton Bluehouse, Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Taylor McKenzie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 6, 1925 Crownpoint, New Mexico |
| Died | June 23, 2012 (aged 87) Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico |
| Nationality |  Navajo Nation and  USA
|
Frank Chee Willeto (June 6, 1925 – June 23, 2012) was an American politician and Navajo code talker during World War II.[1][2] Willeto served as the Vice President of the Navajo Nation under President Milton Bluehouse, Sr. from his appointment in August 1998 until January 1999, when the Begaye administration took office.[1]
Early life[]
Willeto was born in Crownpoint, New Mexico, on June 6, 1925.[1] According to the Navajo Times, Willeto was "Bit'ahnii (Folded Arms Clan), born for Tódích'íi'nii (Bitter Water Clan). His chei [mother's grandfather] was Ta'neeszahnii (Tangle Clan) and his nálí [paternal family] was Naakai dine'é (Mexican People Clan)."[2]
Code talker[]
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1944 during World War II.[3] Willeto joined the 6th Marine Division, serving in the Pacific Theater in Saipan and Okinawa as a Navajo code talker.[3] Recognition of the code talker's role in the war were not disclosed until 1968, when documents on the talkers were declassified.[1] Willeto and other surviving Navajo code talkers were awarded the Congressional Silver Medal in 2001.[1][3]
Career[]
He returned to the Navajo Nation following the end of World War II. He was employed in the roads department of the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1946 until 1974.[1] Willeto then joined the United States Department of Education.[4]
Willeto was elected to the Navajo Nation Council in 1974.[4] He remained on the Council until 1986, when he was elected as the president of the Pueblo Pintado Chapter.[4] Willeto also served as a judge on the former Navajo Supreme Judicial Council, a precursor to the present-day Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation.[1][4]
On July 23, 1998, Navajo Nation President Thomas Atcitty was removed from office by the Navajo Nation Council for ethics violations.[5] Atcitty was succeeded by Milton Bluehouse, Sr., Atcitty's vice president, as interim president one day later.[1] Bluehouse appointed Willeto as Vice President of the Navajo Nation in August 1998.[1][3] Together, Bluehouse and Willeto ran as running mates for a full, four-year term in the November 1998 presidential election.[6] Kelsey Begaye won the general election and was inaugurated on January 12, 1999. Willeto remained Vice President within the Bluehouse administration until Begaye took office.[3]
Later life[]
He remained active in public life. Willeto was a proponent of the new Tsé Yí Gai High School in Pueblo Pintado and the construction of a new bridge between the high school and Navajo Route 9.[2] Willeto was a frequent visitor to the eastern United States, especially Washington, D.C. In 2008, Willeto gave the blessing to mark the start of construction on the USS New Mexico (SSN-779) nuclear submarine in Newport News, Virginia.[2] He was also invited to the White House to witness the signing of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 by U.S. President Barack Obama.[2] Most recently, Willeto appeared as a panelist for the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs' "The Way of the Warrior: Native Americans' Commitment to Country, Community, and Communication" panel on November 16, 2011, as part of National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.[4]
Willeto died at his home in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, on June 23, 2012, at the age of 87.[1][2][3] New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez ordered flags to be flown at half-mast in Willeto's honor.[3] Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly also offered all Navajo flags to be flown at half staff from June 25 until June 28.[4] His funeral was held at the Tse Yi Gai High School in Pueblo Pintado.[4] Willeto was buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, June 29, 2012, at a ceremony attended by 150 people, including Governor Martinez.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Brunt, Charles D. (2012-06-25). "Former Navajo Code Talker Willeto Dies". Albuquerque Journal. http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/06/25/abqnewsseeker/former-navajo-code-talker-willeto-dies.html. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Smith, Noel Lyn (2012-07-05). "A life of service, Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willetto is remembered by memorial speakers". Navajo Times. http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2012/0712/070512wil.php. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Simonich, Milan (2012-07-02). "Navajo Code Talker Willeto laid to rest". Texas-New Mexico Newspapers. The Deming Headlight. http://www.demingheadlight.com/deming-news/ci_20991929/navajo-code-talker-willeto-laid-rest. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Funeral for Late Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Set for Tomorrow". Native News Network. 2012-06-27. http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/funeral-for-late-code-talker-frank-chee-willeto-set-for-tomorrow.html. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ↑ "Navajo name new present – again; Bluehouse appointed". Associated Press. Kingman Daily Miner. 1998-07-26. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f6pPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RVMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4545,4176005&dq=kelsey+begaye&hl=en. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ↑ "Navajo leaders urge tribal youth to vote". Associated Press. The Daily Courier (Arizona). 1998-10-28. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SqAvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ek0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5883,3140636&dq=bluehouse+willeto+election&hl=en. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
Further reading[]
Frank Willeto
- Code Talkers' Stories Recorded in DC. Talking Feather. June 19, 2010.
- Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto to join SCIA Panel on Way of the Warrior. Navajo Nation Washington Office. November 16, 2011.
- Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Dies. KOB-TV. June 23, 2012.
- Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Walk On. Indian Country Today Media Network. June 26, 2012.
- Navajo Code Talkers honored with N.M. highway dedication. The Buffalo Post.
Code Talkers
- Aaseng, Nathan. Navajo Code Talkers: America’s Secret Weapon in World War II. New York: Walker & Company, 1992.
- Durrett, Deanne. Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers. Library of American Indian History, Facts on File, Inc., 1998.
- McClain, Salley. Navajo Weapon: The Navajo Code Talkers. Tucson, Arizona: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2001.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Frank Chee Willeto and the edit history here.