MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. --Last week, a year after the President's presentation of the original 29 Code Talker Medals, the depot's Command Museum opened a new exhibit in honor of the World War II Native American veterans who played such a vital role during the war.

The Navajo code talkers took part in every assault the U.S. Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine Raider battalions and Marine parachute units, transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native language, a code the Japanese never broke.

The museum's new exhibit highlights and pays tribute to these gallant efforts.

The main display for the exhibit contains the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to code talker Johnny R. Manuelito Sr.

May 4, 1942, Manuelito planted his feet on top of the yellow footprints and began his journey to becoming a Marine. On July 27, Manuelito's family returned to the depot to bestow his Congressional Gold Medal to the Command Museum to be a centerpiece of the code talker exhibit.

"We want to thank the Marine Corps for letting us spread the word about these courageous men," said Leanna Manuelito-Mojado, daughter of Manuelito Sr. "We want everyone to see it here and know that it was part of the Marine Corps."

Her father had an honorable career in the Marine Corps. He participated in the capture of Iwo Jima and the occupation of Japan with the 5th Marine Division. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asian Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

April 1, 1968, twenty-three years after World War II, Manuelito died having never been recognized for the sacrifices he made.

Fourteen members of Manuelito's family from Bishop, Calif., were present in Washington, D.C., to receive one more honor in his name, the Congressional Gold Medal, July 26, 2001. President George W. Bush awarded the medal to the original 29 World War II Navajo code talkers.

But after receiving the medal in Manuelito's name, his family sought additional ways to honor his memory and the memory of his fellow code talkers. They wanted to share his honor and help ensure the story of the Navajo code talkers is never forgotten.

"What else could we do with the medal," said Johnny R. Manuelito Jr., son of the code talker. "It is too big and too special to sit in our living room. He graduated boot camp here, we thought it would be fitting for his medal to return to the Depot."

The medal now sits proudly on display underneath the portrait of Johnny R. Manuelito Sr.

"The exhibit is impressive," Manuelito Jr. "I got a good feel from it. The old man would like it. The location here at the Depot was the main thing."

John Manuelito