The program remained top secret until 1968. In 1982 Reagan gave them " a Certificate of Recognition" and declared August 14, 1982 "Navajo Code Talkers Day. In 2000 congress passed and Clinton signed Public Law 106-554, 114 Statute 2763. It awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the original twenty-nine World War II Navajo code talkers, and Silver Medals to each person who qualified as a Navajo code talker (approximately 300). Bush gave those to gold medals to 4 living men (the 5th couldn't come) and 24 medals to the families of the code talkers no longer living.
Thomas Eddison received the Congressional Gold Medal recipient in 2025 on august 31
Because the code was classified until 1968 the code talkers did not get early recognition, although they were featured in the 1959 movie, "Never so Few" and the 1949, "Sands of Iwo Jima". In 1982 (fourteen years after being declassified) they were given a Certificate of Recognition and August 14, 1982 "Navajo Code Talkers Day". In December 21, 2000, Bill Clinton signed, Public Law 106-554, 114 Statute 2763. It gave the Congressional Gold medal to the original 29 World War II Navajo code talkers, and Silver medals to each person who qualified as a Navajo code talker (approximately 300 were still alive). The Presentation ceremony was in July 2001.
87 African-Americans have received the Medal of Honor. found on http://www.navy.mil/moh/faq.html
Rosa Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1999.
She is the only woman to have received the Medal of Honor.
Congressional Gold Medal was created in 1776.
Very few, and all of the original members have passed away. A total of around 400 code talkers served during World War II or the Korean War. They learned and used the code developed by the first 29. The Navajo Times reports that on June 6 2014, 35 of those are still alive. On June 4, 2014, the last code talker of the original 29, Chester Nez, died at age 93 in Albuquerque NM, of kidney failure. He wrote :"Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII." He received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001. There is a very good obituary in the New York Times : "Chester Nez, 93, Dies; Navajo Words Washed From Mouth Helped Win War" By Margalit Fox --JUNE 5, 2014. ( I can't get the link to attach) It describes his life and war experiences and the basics of developing the code.
He received a Congressional Gold Medal, and was awarded, posthumously the rank of General of the Armies
Former President Gerald R. Ford received the award in 1999.
The Congressional Medal of Honor is bestowed to members of the military. George M. Cohan was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1936, which is a civilian award, and is not the same as the Medal of Honor. See link below for full list of recipients:
Congressional Space Medal of Honor was created on 1969-09-29.