The last Akwesasne Mohawk code talker from World War II has died

ST. REGIS INDIAN RESERVATION, N.Y. — The last of the remaining Mohawk “code talkers” who were belatedly honored for their World War II service has died at age of 94.

The WWNY-TV reports that Louis Levi Oakes’s funeral was held Saturday on the Mohawk reservation, which straddles the U.S.-Canadian border.

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The Press-Republican of Plattsburgh report s that Oakes was one of 17 Akwesasne (og-wuh-SAHZ'-nee) Mohawks to receive the Congressional Silver Medal for his military contributions as a Native American code talker in 2016. Code talkers used their various native languages for military communications.

The newspaper said the Silver Star recipient served in the Army for six years and saw action in the South Pacific, New Guinea and Philippines theaters.

Oakes kept his role as a code talker secret for decades, even to relatives.

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