John Brown Jr. | Navajo Code Talker, 88

John Brown Jr., 88, a Navajo Code Talker who was part of the original group recruited to develop what became an unbreakable code that confounded the Japanese during World War II, died Wednesday in Crystal, N.M.

Several hundred Navajos served as Code Talkers during the war, but a group of 29 that included Mr. Brown developed the code based on their native language. Their role in the war was not declassified until 1968.

Mr. Brown received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 along with other members of the original 29 Code Talkers. A handful are still alive.

- AP