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Descendants of Choctaw code talkers gather in Fort Worth for historical marker unveiling
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Nuchi Nashoba is the president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association and great granddaughter of Choctaw Code Talker Ben Carterby. Nashoba said it was a full-circle moment to see the code talkers honored for their time at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report via AP) 2026-04-03T17:36:46Z Nuchi Nashoba grew up looking at a photograph of her great-grandfather Ben Carterby inside her grandmother’s Oklahoma home. But, she didn’t know much about the man in the frame other than that he was a World War I veteran. It wasn’t until 1989 — when Nashoba was in her late 20s — that she learned a deep secret about her ancestor. Carterby was one of the Choctaw code talkers — a group of 19 Native American soldiers who used their language to transmit encrypted messages to the Allies during campaigns in northern France. The soldiers were sworn to secrecy and hid details of their service from families for decades. Over the past 20 years, Nashoba has led advocacy efforts to spotlight the group’s hidden legacy as president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association. Now, the soldiers’ contributions are recognized in Fort Worth through a new plaque at the city’s Veterans Memorial Park. The Choctaw Code Talker Historical Marker was unveiled during an April 1 ceremony hosted by the Oklahoma tribe, the Texas Historical Commission and the city’s parks and recreation department. Several descendants of the Native soldiers attended. “Seeing the marker really brings me a lot of joy,” Nashoba said. “This is what preserves the history for generations to come.” Choctaw code talkers’ ties to Fort Worth Members of the Choctaw code talkers were men who volunteered to fight for the U.S. in World War I at a time when Native Americans were not recognized as citizens. Indigenous communities wouldn’t receive citizenship until 1924. While in the battlefields in France, some of these men were overheard speaking their Choctaw language and were trained to use their words as “code.” They were placed on front lines and command posts so that messages could be transmitted to headquarters. The soldiers shared words like “tanampo chito” for artillery and “tvshka” for warriors, according to the historical marker. The Germans famously failed to decipher these Choctaw transmissions within 24 hours throughout the war. /* Desktop-first: fully collapse by default */ #ap-readmore-embed { display: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; height: 0; min-height: 0; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; position: relative; z-index: 2; } /* Only show on mobile */ @media (max-width: 767px) { #ap-readmore-embed { display: block; margin: 28px 0; height: auto; overflow: visible; } } #ap-readmore-embed .ap-readmore-btn { appearance: none; -webkit-appearance: none; border: 0; background: #000; color: #fff; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 10px; padding: 14px 22px; border-radius: 999px; font-family: inherit, "AP Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1; box-shadow: 0 10px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); transition: transform 120ms ease, box-shadow 120ms ease, opacity 120ms ease; 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Their work paved the way for the Navajo code talkers during World War II. “Their story is a testament to the resilience and patriotism of the Choctaw Nation,” Col. Brent Kemp, commander of the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the National Guard, said at the unveiling. “Their ingenuity and bravery reminds us of the power of cultural heritage and the importance of preserving Indigenous languages.” The Native American soldiers were in the 36th Infantry Division at Camp Bowie, a westside training site for more than 100,000 soldiers during World War I. Council member Macy Hill, who represents Camp Bowie, said it was only fitting for Fort Worth to honor the legacy of the code talkers since they walked on the site’s grounds. “This is where the Choctaw code talkers were initially trained and where they will forever be remembered,” she said. Descendants carry the torch As Ta’Na Alexander — the great-great-granddaughter of Carterby — watched the marker’s unveiling in Fort Worth, she couldn’t help but feel proud that her family’s history is slowly spreading across the U.S. “It’s pretty monumental to realize that more people are starting to recognize the significant part of these men who were sworn to secrecy,” said Alexander, who is Nashoba’s daughter. “This marker connects the past to the future.” She credits her mother’s leadership for widespread education about the work of Native soldiers. Last May, the Choctaw Code Talkers Association led the charge to place a bronze sculpture honoring the group at the Choctaw Cultural Center in southern Oklahoma. The artwork depicts three soldiers in the middle of battle. The organization also advocated for 23 Oklahoma bridges to be renamed after the code talkers and other Native veterans. The Fort Worth marker was the group’s first venture into Texas, Nashoba said. The group is exploring other statewide recognitions, she added. For now, Alexander invites Fort Worth residents to stroll through the memorial park to learn that her ancestors’ stories aren’t just about being Native. They’re about what it means to be American, she said. “You might not be Native or Choctaw, but what we do share in common is that we have the right to vote,” she said. “We have a voice. We have a freedom that exists here that doesn’t exist anywhere else.” ___ The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here. ___ This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Nuchi Nashoba is the president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association and great granddaughter of Choctaw Code Talker Ben Carterby. Nashoba said it was a full-circle moment to see the code talkers honored for their time at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report via AP)City council member Macy Hill, left, Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, center, and Nuchi Nashoba, president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association, unveil the Choctaw Code Talkers historical marker on April 1, 20206 at Fort Worth’s Veterans Memorial Park in Texas. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report via AP)Selah Smith, member of the Choctaw tribe, left, and Nancy Benton Smith, member of Choctaw and Cherokee, pray after the unveiling of the Choctaw Code Talkers historical marker on April 1, 2026 at Fort Worth’s Veterans Memorial Park in Texas. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report)Nuchi Nashoba is the president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association and great granddaughter of Choctaw Code Talker Ben Carterby. Nashoba said it was a full-circle moment to see the code talkers honored for their time at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report via AP)City council member Macy Hill, left, Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, center, and Nuchi Nashoba, president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association, unveil the Choctaw Code Talkers historical marker on April 1, 20206 at Fort Worth’s Veterans Memorial Park in Texas. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report via AP)Selah Smith, member of the Choctaw tribe, left, and Nancy Benton Smith, member of Choctaw and Cherokee, pray after the unveiling of the Choctaw Code Talkers historical marker on April 1, 2026 at Fort Worth’s Veterans Memorial Park in Texas. (Christine Vo/Fort Worth Report)
Nuchi Nashoba grew up looking at a photograph of her great-grandfather Ben Carterby inside her grandmother’s Oklahoma home. But, she didn’t know much about the man in the frame other than that he was a World War I veteran. It wasn’t until 1989 — when Nashoba was in her late 20s — that she learned a deep secret about her ancestor. Carterby was one of the Choctaw code talkers — a group of 19 Native American soldiers who used their language to transmit encrypted messages to the Allies during campaigns in northern France. The soldiers were sworn to secrecy and hid details of their service from families for decades. Over the past 20 years, Nashoba has led advocacy efforts to spotlight the group’s hidden legacy as president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association. Now, the soldiers’ contributions are recognized in Fort Worth through a new plaque at the city’s Veterans Memorial Park. The Choctaw Code Talker Historical Marker was unveiled during an April 1 ceremony hosted by the Oklahoma tribe, the Texas Historical Commission and the city’s parks and recreation department. Several descendants of the Native soldiers attended. “Seeing the marker really brings me a lot of joy,” Nashoba said. “This is what preserves the history for generations to come.” Members of the Choctaw code talkers were men who volunteered to fight for the U.S. in World War I at a time when Native Americans were not recognized as citizens. Indigenous communities wouldn’t receive citizenship until 1924. While in the battlefields in France, some of these men were overheard speaking their Choctaw language and were trained to use their words as “code.” They were placed on front lines and command posts so that messages could be transmitted to headquarters. The soldiers shared words like “tanampo chito” for artillery and “tvshka” for warriors, according to the historical marker. The Germans famously failed to decipher these Choctaw transmissions within 24 hours throughout the war.
The Choctaw group is widely considered to be the first Native American code talkers to serve in the U.S. military. Their work paved the way for the Navajo code talkers during World War II. “Their story is a testament to the resilience and patriotism of the Choctaw Nation,” Col. Brent Kemp, commander of the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the National Guard, said at the unveiling. “Their ingenuity and bravery reminds us of the power of cultural heritage and the importance of preserving Indigenous languages.”The Native American soldiers were in the 36th Infantry Division at Camp Bowie, a westside training site for more than 100,000 soldiers during World War I.Council member Macy Hill, who represents Camp Bowie, said it was only fitting for Fort Worth to honor the legacy of the code talkers since they walked on the site’s grounds. “This is where the Choctaw code talkers were initially trained and where they will forever be remembered,” she said. As Ta’Na Alexander — the great-great-granddaughter of Carterby — watched the marker’s unveiling in Fort Worth, she couldn’t help but feel proud that her family’s history is slowly spreading across the U.S. “It’s pretty monumental to realize that more people are starting to recognize the significant part of these men who were sworn to secrecy,” said Alexander, who is Nashoba’s daughter. “This marker connects the past to the future.” She credits her mother’s leadership for widespread education about the work of Native soldiers.Last May, the Choctaw Code Talkers Association led the charge to place a bronze sculpture honoring the group at the Choctaw Cultural Center in southern Oklahoma. The artwork depicts three soldiers in the middle of battle. The organization also advocated for 23 Oklahoma bridges to be renamed after the code talkers and other Native veterans.The Fort Worth marker was the group’s first venture into Texas, Nashoba said. The group is exploring other statewide recognitions, she added.For now, Alexander invites Fort Worth residents to stroll through the memorial park to learn that her ancestors’ stories aren’t just about being Native. They’re about what it means to be American, she said. “You might not be Native or Choctaw, but what we do share in common is that we have the right to vote,” she said. “We have a voice. We have a freedom that exists here that doesn’t exist anywhere else.”___The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.___This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.