Joe Morris Sr.

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Joe Morris Sr.
Born(1926-04-19)April 19, 1926
Indian Wells, Arizona, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 2011(2011-07-17) (aged 85)
Loma Linda, California, U.S.
Buried
Riverside National Cemetery
Allegiance United States
AwardsCongressional Silver Medal
Joe Morris, Sr. in 2008
Morris in 2002.

Joe Morris Sr. (April 19, 1926 – July 17, 2011) was an

United States Marine veteran and Navajo code talker.[1]

Morris was born as one of four children on April 19, 1926, in

Japanese-American internment camp.[1]

Morris told the U.S. draft board in 1943 that he was 18 years old, when he was actually 17 years old, in order to get his draft card.

Modesto Bee, Morris said that a Navajo medicine man prayed for him for a day and a half upon his drafting, which Morris credited with surviving the war unharmed.[1][3]

Morris was sent to

Navajo code talkers with anyone.[1] That included Morris' parents and wife, whom he did not tell either.[1] Morris began revealing the details of the Navajo code talkers only the code talkers' mission and role in the war was declassified in 1968.[1]

Morris was honorable discharged from the Marines in 1946 and married his wife, Charlotte Morris.[1] He was hired at a Marine supply center in Barstow, California, and settled in the small town of Daggett, a small town in the Mojave Desert.[1] He worked as a maintenance department supervisor at the same supply center until his 1984 retirement.[1]

Joe Morris spoke extensively about the experience of the Navajo code talkers during the 1990s and 2000s (decade). Morris and his fellow Navajo code talkers were honored by in an exhibit at the Pentagon in 1992, which he attended.[1] Morris also attended Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in 2001, in which President George W. Bush presented the award to four or the original twenty-nine Navajo code talkers.[1] He and 200 surviving code talkers were awarded the Congressional Silver Medal on November 25, 2001, at a ceremony in Window Rock, Arizona.[2]

Joe Morris Sr. died from complications of a stroke on July 17, 2011, at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in

American flags on the Navajo Nation to be lowered to half staff in Morris' honor.[1][2] He was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v McLellan, Dennis (2011-07-24). "Joe Morris Sr. dies at 85; Navajo code talker during World War II". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  2. ^ a b c d "President Ben Shelly Orders Flags to be flown at half-staff in Honor of Navajo Code Talker Joe Morris Sr" (PDF). Office of Navajo Nation President Ben Shelley. 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2011-07-29.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Navajo code talker dies at 85". United Press International. 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  4. ^ Riverside National Cemetery: Notable Persons
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