Characters
Kii Yazhi (Ned Begay)
Ned Begay is the main character in this book. He is a Navajo Indian who is very intelligent. He loves to study and would like to be a teacher when he grows up. Instead he is planing on fighting in the war. Ned becomes a Marine at age 16 and he becomes a Code Talker.
Tommy Nez
Tommy Nez is talked about in the beginning of the book. He was Ned's friend at boarding school. He would always get in trouble.
Georgia Boy
Georgia Boy is from the United States and has a Southern accent. He learns how to be a Marine just like Ned. They become good friends. Georgia Boy protects and looks after Ned Begay because some people might mistaken him as the enemy because of his dark skin.
Smitty
Smitty is also Ned Begay's friend. He is a Marine and he watches over Ned during the war. He worries that some people might mistaken Ned as the enemy because of his dark skin.
Alex Williams
He was a watch officer and would watch the Marines closely. His teammates thought he was a Japanese solider during the war and they almost killed him.
Wilsie
Wilsie fought in World War II. He was best friends with Charlie Begay and Ira. Wilsie was a very kind and helpful person. He helped a seven year old little boy named Johnny find a home to live in.
Ira
Ira fought in World War II. He was Wilsie and Ned's best friends. He was the only Indian in that famous picture at Iwo Jima. Since he became famous he started to drink more because he did not like thinking about the war and it helped him forget about it.