Yá'át'ééh (hello)!
Anthony speaking in Empoli, Italy
I’ve spoken on leadership and professional development to people from various nations and countries, but one topic I continue to speak about are the First Twenty-Nine Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. I started to speak about these men during high school and continued to lecture on their story in college, and then onto various groups while traveling the world. More recently, I spoke at the University of Alaska in Anchorage and Kenai, and in Italy.
For those of you who don’t know, the Navajo Code Talkers created the only code in US military history that was never broken and they received the congressional gold and silver medals in 2001 for their heroic actions.
I’m the grandson of Dr. Carl N. Gorman, one of the First Twenty-nine Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. As a member of this pilot group, my grandpa helped develop the original Navajo code that aided in the American victory in the Pacific theatre.
I’m also the son of Zonnie Gorman, the recognized historian on the Navajo Code Talkers, whose ongoing research continues to expand their historical legacy and impact.
Following in the footsteps of both my grandfather and mother, I’m the next generation to carry on the family legacy of sharing the incredible story of how the Navajo Code Talker program started and the individual stories of heroism and indigenous survivance.
"It is a rare thing to find someone that can take even the driest of material and turn it into a story, crafting an immersive picture that captures the attention of everyone around him. Anthony speaks with authority and passion."
TRAVIS RUMOHR, M.A. CENTER FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY IN SYRIA
Growing Up with Heroes 2: The Lecture
My grandfather Carl N. Gorman in his Dress Blues
In this lecture, Anthony shares historical information about the pilot group of Navajo Code Talkers, the First Twenty-nine, which his grandfather - Dr. Carl N. Gorman - was the oldest member of. He takes you through how the US Marine Corps decided to use the Navajo language as a code and how Platoon 382 created a fully functional code out of their Navajo language that helped the United States win the Pacific War. Furthermore, Anthony weaves in personal stories of growing up with the Navajo Code Talkers including his grandpa.
Growing up on the Navajo Nation and in the midst of this history such as witnessing numerous ceremonies and events honoring the Navajo Code Talkers, including the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony which honored the First Twenty-nine for developing the original code held at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. in 2001. By attending presentations by his grandfather and mother, Anthony listened in on oral history interviews with the First Twenty-nine Navajo Code Talkers and regular meetings with people visiting to learn about his grandpa and what the other Navajo men did during World War II. In fact, Anthony was present when his mother talked to Chester Nez about the 30th man.
Anthony’s growing interest in the legacy of his grandfather and the Navajo Code Talkers has most recently involved him with the annual Navajo Code Talker Day celebration held in Window Rock, AZ - the capitol of the Navajo Nation. As a member of the NCT Day 2017 committee, Anthony spearheaded a crowdfunding campaign and produced a promotional video clip (see below) that included the faces of Navajo Code Talker descendants. Additionally, he co-produced a small historical exhibit to remember and honor the 75th anniversary of the recruitment of the First Twenty-nine and the founding of the Navajo Code Talker program. Anthony is also involved with a small group of descendants working toward establishing a non-profit to protect the legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers.
“Anthony Anaya-Gorman speaks with passion and directly through his heart. During his lectures or even during a casual conversation, you can’t help but become deeply entranced with what he is saying. You become captivated by the topic and are left only wanting to learn more.”
So as I sat writing a smaller post for for my Instagram page, I felt a desire to share more about what this day means to me now. Four years ago I stood exactly where my grandpa and these men were sworn in. I stood where they stood exactly 75 years later on May 4, 2016. I stood on my grandpa’s footprints 75 years after he raised his hand to serve in World War II before knowing he was there to be Navajo Code Talker.
My heart sank. These are the men I grew up with. I realized fully there will be a day I’ll attend a parade or ceremony back home where these men are being honored in memory and not in person any longer
I never witnessed anyone so intently listening to the speakers at Navajo Code Talker Day 2017 as Mr. Alfred Newman. In fact, I recall telling everyone for weeks how much his observance caught my eye.