U.S. Army Environmental Center
Storytelling is an integral part of Native American culture. It is intended to honor all life – the earth and its plants and animals, family and friends, and those who have gone before us.
On July 20, 2005, the Army lost a good friend in Charlie Chibitty – a Comanche from Oklahoma whose incredible life story will surely be passed on for generations to come.
He became well known to the Army cultural resources community, especially in his later years, and I think it is valuable to reflect on his legacy.
Born in November 1921, near Medicine Park, Okla., Chibitty began what would become a lifetime of service to the nation and the Army, when he and 20 of his Comanche comrades enlisted in 1941.
At Fort Benning, Ga., they created a code based on their native language that would be used to stump German intelligence and save countless American lives in Europe. Assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, Comanche code talkers on the front lines used this code to communicate with their Comanche counterparts at division headquarters. Chibitty himself sent the first message after the D-Day invasion, which translated as “Five miles to the right of the designated area and five miles inland the fighting is fierce and we need help.”
The Comanche code was never broken, and although some of the Comanche code talkers were wounded, all survived the war.
Chibitty furthered the Comanche legacy when he began working with the Louisiana Army National Guard’s cultural resources staff in 2001.
He recorded oral histories for the Center for Military History and the Louisiana Army National Guard, telling the story of how he and the rest of the Comanche code talkers trained at Camp Beauregard, La., before their overseas deployment. Chibitty also was involved in the building of Camp Beauregard’s Code Talkers Monument, dedicated in April 2003. Further, he consulted with Army and Native American leaders working to protect cultural sites on Louisiana National Guard land, especially those on Army training areas.
This work helped protect both an important part of American history and the sustainability of Army installations. More than 50 years after he enlisted, Chibitty was still helping Soldiers – this time ensuring they would have access to the training land needed to prepare for and succeed in their missions abroad.
At the age of 83, after many years of service to the Army as both a Soldier and a member of his tribe, the last surviving Comanche code talker from World War II joined his Comanche brethren of whom he spoke so fondly. In all capacities, he embodied the Soldier’s Creed and humbly served to honor his heritage and support his fellow Soldiers – and for that he will be truly missed.
Note: Chibitty’s picture appeared on the front page of the Summer 2005 issue of Environmental Update.
