U.S. Army veteran Richard Bean Sr. took his wartime secret to the grave, dying a hero without anyone knowing about it for decades. But it would be decades before recognition came to the Tlingit servicemen, after the passage of the Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008. (Brian Wallace/Sealaska Heritage Institute/The Associated Press)In 2013, Congress recognized the Code Talkers from 33 tribes, including the Tlingit men, who were posthumously awarded silver medals. Given the national honours, former Alaska state Rep. and Tlingit Vietnam veteran Bill Thomas thought state recognition would soon follow. Earlier this month, legislators passed a formal citation honoring the Tlingit Code Talkers.

Source: CBC News March 27, 2019 17:37 UTC