The shipment of protective supplies is on top of the 500,000 face masks the South Korean government already sent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute to non-Navajo veterans.
Jason Jimenez / U.S. Marine CorpsThomas Begay , a warhorse Code Talker , is among the Navajo old-timer who do under the Marine Corps during the warfare .
In a stunning human activity of solidarity , the South Korean government institutionalise 10,000 face masks and 3.9 tons of other supplies include hand sanitizer to the Navajo Nation to honor the vet who serve during the Korean War .
accord toStars and Stripes , the despatch of protective provision meant to prevent COVID-19 infections among the Navajo kinship group community was delivered in alignment with the seventieth anniversary of the Korean War .
Jason Jimenez/U.S. Marine CorpsThomas Begay, a veteran Code Talker, is among the Navajo veterans who served under the Marine Corps during the war.
In a instruction released by South Korea ’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs , the politics substantiate that it sent , “ protective token including 10,000 masks to the secret heroes of the Korean War in the Navajo Nation for the people who are rack up particularly severely by COVID-19 . ”
The Navajo Nation has seen a big number of COVID-19 cases on their reservation which stretch between Utah , Arizona , and New Mexico . Among the nation ’s population of 175,000 people , there have been at least 6,020 positivist event and 277 deathsreportedby the Navajo Department of Health .
The Navajo U.S. veterans have a unique family relationship with South Korea . During World War II , the U.S. Marine Corps began to recruit Navajo tribesmen to serve as specialized linguists , now have a go at it asCode Talkers , using the complex system of the aboriginal Navajo language .
National ArchivesNavajo Code Talkers Cpl. Henry Bake, Jr. and Pfc. George H. Kirk operate a portable radio behind the front lines in 1943.
National ArchivesNavajo Code Talkers Cpl . Henry Bake , Jr. and Pfc . George H. Kirk operate a portable radio behind the front line in 1943 .
agree to South Korea ’s ministry , or so 800 Navajo gentleman served in the Korean War , many of them gamble their lives as code talkers to deliver sensitive intelligence during the conflict . To this day , theNavajo Code Talkers ‘ language stay the only unbreakable code ever used by the Marine Corps .
“ We hope our small-scale gifts will console the veteran in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis , ” said Kim Eun - gi , co - chair of the Korean War Commemoration Committee .
PhotoQuest/Getty ImagesThe South Korean government’s pandemic aid supplies is meant to honor the Navajo veterans’ service.
“ The government remembers those who made a noble sacrifice to defend a unusual body politic 70 year ago , and we hope they will proudly tell their posterity about the choice they made so many year ago . ”
The saving of typeface mask , hand sanitizer , and other supplies was originally schedule for delivery earlier but was unfortunately put over .
The South Korean government worked with a number of U.S.-based means and constitution to check that that the supplies attain the Navajo Nation . Among them the Korean community in Arizona , the Korean Missionary Association in America , and Los Angeles ’ South Korean consulate .
The shipment of protective provision to the Navajo community is part of the committee ’s broad humanitarian crusade during the COVID-19 crisis . In other June 2020 , the committee sent 1 million masks to foreign veterans of the war . Roughly one-half of those face mask were sent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute to non - Navajo veterans .
The Navajo Nation has one of the strict stay - at - plate orders in the country , yet their contagion rate remain staggeringly high .
PhotoQuest / Getty ImagesThe South Korean government ’s pandemic aid supplies is meant to honor the Navajo veterans ’ religious service .
In late May 2020 , the Navajo Nation surpassed New York — considered the epicenter of the epidemic with a population total that dwarfs the reservation ’s number — for thehighest COVID-19 contagion ratein the U.S.
More than 23,791 extremity or 11 percent of the Navajo population have been test for the coronavirus .
harmonise to Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez , one of the biggest factors is the living office on the arriere pensee where many home house multi - multiplication of families . So when one member of the family becomes infected , it is difficult to forbid infection from the rest .
The Navajo Nation ’s condition as a food desert , pockets of communities where healthy green groceries and nutrient supply are not bountiful or well accessible , has also lead to their annihilating contagion numbers . Few resource for buying food lead to unhealthy overcrowding during the pandemic .
“ When we run out of food for thought or supplies we have to go to the stores and there is a lot of people there and I trust … the spread is happening there as well as at home , ” Nez articulate .
For now , the Navajo Nation has continued to put through its strong lockdown measure . Hopefully , in improver to the support of supply sent by South Korea , more assistance will be provided to protect their native community .
Next , learn aboutthe Irish fundraiser that sent $ 3 million in coronavirus aid to the Navajo and Choctaw peopleand see33 photos of other 20th - century Native American masks brought to life-time in full color .
