Tag Archives: WWII

Code Talkers Museum

A Restaurant is Also A Memorial

Northern Arizona is part of the Navajo Nation.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit and photograph the immensely scenic Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This iconic area is located on the Arizona-Utah so we stay overnight in the nearby town of Kayenta. Next door to the hotel is a Burger King restaurant where we can catch breakfast before going to the park.

But this Burger King is unlike any other that we’ve been to. Inside is an extensive display – a mini-museum if you will – of the Code Talkers. The Code Talkers were U.S. servicemen recruited from among the Native Americans (mostly Navajo) during World War II. Some 500 of these Navajo speakers used their language skills to code and transmit secret messages among the various military units. Dozens of volunteers were from the Kayenta area.

I’ve visited this Burger King multiple times over the years and each time the display has been enlarged and enhanced.

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It’s believed that our enemies were never able to decode any of the Code Talker messages.

The Burger King in Kayenta is a great place to stop to learn about these brave men who served and fought during World War II and the Korean War.

 
 
 

Aviation Shorts

A couple of snapshots

I’ve been taking pictures of “things related to aviation” for many years.

As I find a few in my portfolio, I’d like to share them.

Here’s a couple that came across my computer screen recently.


This was a favorite airport for small corporate jets and private planes in Chicago. It was located in the heart of the city along Lake Michigan. In 2003 the city closed the airport and turned into a park.


This is one cool looking Beech Starship. It is designed with a carbon fiber composite body and canard it has twin turboprops. It can carry up to 8 passengers with a range of 1500 nm at 300 knots. There are only a few Starships operating now.


At Oshkosh one year we stopped by to visit with the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII fame again. This time I was gifted with an autographed t-shirt and this commemorative patch.

We should have more of these Aviation Shorts soon.

Veteran’s Day

Today is Veteran’s Day.

Veteran’s Day is a time to thank and honor the millions of men and women who are currently serving or have served our country over the centuries.

Hundreds of thousands of our dedicated men and women are serving in the military at this very moment. They serve in many places around the globe and many of them are in harm’s way.

Below are a few of our family members who have served. I’m happy that we saved all of these photographs with which to remember their military days. Unfortunately, I am missing photos of several other uncles, cousins and in-laws who served in the Navy and Army.


BTW, that’s my uncle holding me

Army Reunion some 50 yrs later

American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer Normandy, France

I’d like to express my deep appreciation to the millions of military men and women who have given much to us so that we can enjoy the freedom that is America.