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ByYMPvtKeiraBaseSoutheastCountyCAMythreesistersandIattendedCodeTalkerDayinWindowRockAZrepresentingourcityofSealBeachCAandourunit.Ourunitpackedup35blanketsasgiftsfortheCodeTalkers.ItwasreallyfunbeingattheCodeTalkerDayeventanddoingalltheac-tivitieslikecleaningtheparkmarchingintheparadeandhear-ingtheCodeTalkerslifestories.IlearnedthattheNavajosingtheNationalAnthemintheirownlanguageandareverypatriotic.MysistersandItookapicturewithaCodeTalkertoo.Oneofmymostmemorableexperienceswasmeetingandtalk-ingtoMr.GeneBellwhoismorethan90yearsold.HewitnessedtheraisingoftheIwoJimaagandhehadcometoWindowRocktomeettheCodeTalkers.Ireallylikedtalkingtohimespeciallywhenheshowedushiscollectionofchallengecoins.ThiswasagoodtripandIhopethatIcanseetheCodeTalkersagainnextyear.TalkingWithWorldWarIIVeteransKeiraleftandKlarisseBasesharingamomentwithMr.GeneBellanIwoJimaveteran.AdoptedIntoaFamilyofCodeTalkersatWindowRockByYMPvtKeiraBaseSoutheastCountyCAThisyeartheTemeculaValleyYoungMarinesmadetheirrsttriptoWindowRockAZtoparticipateinNavajoCodeTalkerDay.Wetook23YoungMarinesandjoinedothersfromunitsallacrossthecountry.Myexperiencetherewaslifechang-ing.IwasassignedtobetheeventcoordinatorbyMs.BrendaMc-Nultytotakephotographsthrough-outthedayandIsawagentlemanwalkingwithaverylargepictureofaNavajoCodeTalker.HeletmetakeapictureofhimandwhenIaskedhimifthepicturehecarriedwasofhisgrandfatherhesaidthatitwasofhisfatherGeorgeSmith.HetoldmethathisnamewasIrvinSmithandthathisfatherGeorgehadbeen17andhisuncleAlbertjust15whentheybothliedabouttheirageandjoinedtheMarineCorpsduringthewar.Theybothbe-cameCodeTalkersandtheywerebothontheirwaytothePacicThe-aterwhenthewell-knowntragedyoftheSullivanbrothershappened.Allvebrotherswerekilledwhentheirshipwastorpedoedandsanksoafterthatthemilitarynolongerallowedbrotherstoserveinthesameunits.TheSmithbrotherswereseparatedanddidnotseeeachotheragainuntilafterthewarwhentheyhappenedtogetonthesamebustogohome.Irvinsfatherpassedawayin2012attheageof90andhisunclepassedawaythispastAprilattheageof88.HetoldmethathisfamilywasstillinmourningoverthelossandthathehadcometoWindowRockbe-causetheywouldhavebeenthereiftheywerestillalive.Hefeltlikehewashonoringthem.WetalkedforawhilelongerandthenhegavemeaMarineCorpsstickerthathisfatherhadgivenhim.WhenIsaidIcouldnttakeitandthatheshouldgiveittoafamilymemberIrvinputhishandonmyshoulderandtoldmethatIhadcomeheretohonortheCodeTalkersincludinghisfa-theranduncleandthatmademefamily.Iwasspeechless.Ihumblyac-ceptedthestickerfromIrvinandthankedhim.Weexchangedcontactinformationandahugandthencon-tinuedourdaybutIwasforeverchanged.ThisisanamazingeventandeachyearmoreYoungMarinestraveltoWindowRocktoparticipate.Mr.IrvinSmithsonofaNavajoCodeTalker.ESPRITFall20137