We have previously covered the story of the Native American code talkers in WW1. Among these soldiers were the Chahta Okla (“Choctaw”) from the Oklahoma National Guard who served with distinction at The Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge in 1918. They have recently been recognized in a special way. The 114th Fighter Squadron, an Air Force National Guard (AFNG) unit based at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, OR, has dedicated one of their F-15C aircraft to the Choctaw code talkers. You can read about the nose art by clicking here. The 114th Fighter Squadron is an ‘Air Education and Training Command’ unit which instructs both US and Canadian fighter pilots. Last week this squadron lost an F-15D in a crash landing. The pilot was uninjured. All of their F-15’s are slated to be replaced by the new F-15 EX in FY 2024, becoming the first AFNG unit to receive these types.

James (“Jim”) Patton BS BA MPA is a retired state official from Shawnee, Kansas and a frequent contributor to several WW1 e-publications, including "Roads to the Great War," "St. Mihiel Tripwire," "Over the Top" and "Medicine in the First World War." He has spent many hours walking the WW1 battlefields, and is also an authority on British regiments and a collector of their badges. An Army Engineer during the Vietnam War, he did work for the US World War 1 Centennial Commission and is affiliated with the WW1 Historical Association, the Western Front Association, the Salonika Campaign Society and the Gallipoli Association.