As the United States observes National Navajo Code Talkers Day on August 14, a significant moment of remembrance and tribute unfolds at Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic.
In a quiet office at NIWC Atlantic’s headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina, Mathew Daugomah immerses himself in his work as a software engineer, developing critical systems for NIWC Atlantic’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) project. As he fine-tunes software for the Air Force and Marine Corps, he is reminded of a rich legacy that connects him to a pivotal chapter in American military history.
For Daugomah, this day is deeply personal and profoundly significant. It honors not only the Navajo Code Talkers but also his great-grandfather, Dooley D. Shorty, whose contributions were instrumental in the success of the Navajo Code Talker program created during World War II.
Shorty, who was born on June 8, 1911 on the Navajo reservation in Cornfields, Arizona, grew up speaking the Navajo language, Diné, as his first language.
When he was a young child, Shorty and his brothers, along with other Navajo children, were transported by wagon to boarding schools where they endured mistreatment and were “assimilated” to American culture. Ironically, they were often punished for speaking in their native tongue.
“They were forced to speak only English and wear itchy, wool uniforms and march everywhere,” said Daugomah, recalling familial tales about his great-grandfather. “They were deprived of food and would save bread from the mess hall in their pockets, enough to last a couple of days. They ran away from the schools, and when they did, they would run all night. They knew that when found, they would have to go back to the school, but they ran anyway to get to spend a night with their parents. When the boys were caught, they were sent to another school farther away.”
As an adult, Shorty became a silversmith and subsequently taught shop classes at Fort Wingate, a military installation in New Mexico, after he was drafted in the Marine Corps at the onset of the war.
He would later tell family members of basic training, “Boot camp wasn’t too hard for us Navajos because we were used to rough treatment, marching, and getting yelled at in boarding school.”
While stationed at Camp Pendleton, San Diego in 1942, Shorty was preparing to be deployed when he was pulled aside by his leadership.
“They knew he taught shop class at Fort Wingate and had teaching experience, so they began to prep him to teach for the Code Talker program,” said Daugomah.
Not only was Shorty expected to communicate in code using the Navajo language, but he was also to train others in this language, a spoken language with no written form, making it incredibly difficult for the enemy to decipher. Shorty and his colleagues innovated within the language, assigning new meanings to words to represent modern military equipment. For instance, “tas-chizzie,” the word for swallow, became the term for torpedo plane, and “jay-sho,” meaning buzzard, was used for bomber.
The Navajo code was incredibly complex and so effective it remained unbroken by Japanese cryptographers throughout the war. In fact, during the first 48 hours of the Battle of Iwo Jima, Navajos flawlessly sent and received more than 800 messages that were undeciphered by adversaries. Considered so valuable, the code was classified until 1968, Daugomah said.
Despite his role in the program, Shorty rarely spoke about his wartime experiences.
“My father told me that Grandpa Dooley didn’t discuss his days as a Code Talker much,” Daugomah said.
It wasn’t until Shorty’s son, Ben, did a third-grade project on the Code Talkers that their family fully understood the extent of his service.
“Ben found his dad’s Marine Corps lapel pin on his work bench and showed it to his third-grade teacher,” said Daugomah. “She suggested he do a report on the Navajo Code Talkers. When Ben mentioned the idea to his father, that’s when he [Dooley] shared the story of how he was chosen to become a Code Talker.”
Not only did Ben tell his father’s story to his class, but he also told his sister, Stella, who, as an adult passed it on to her son James, whose son, [Mathew] Daugomah, now continues telling Shorty’s legacy.
Daugomah’s own journey to landing a position at NIWC Atlantic reflects a blend of personal history and professional dedication, inspired by the heroism of his great-grandfather.
Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Daugomah graduated from James Island Charter High School in 2018. He double-majored in Mathematics and Computer Science, earning his bachelor’s degree in 2022 and a master’s degree in Computer Science in 2024, both from the Citadel.
He began working at NIWC Atlantic through an internship in 2021. He now plays a key role in developing software for the command’s JLTV project, which involves integrating command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems into JLTVs, which are next-generation vehicles designed to replace the Humvee. In short, his work supports the Air Force and Marine Corps, ensuring the functionality of critical communication systems in modern military vehicles.
“I feel a tremendous sense of pride in my work, knowing that I am contributing to projects that support the warfighter, just as my great-grandfather did,” Daugomah says. “The Marine Corps played a significant role in World War II, and working on projects that support them feels like a continuation of his legacy.”
The impact of Shorty’s service is felt acutely by Daugomah.
“Every day, as I work on software that ensures the functionality of critical systems for the military, I think about how my great-grandfather’s efforts in code talking made such a difference,” he reflects. “It’s a powerful connection, knowing that the work I do is part of a larger tradition of service and sacrifice.”
After his military service, Shorty worked as a teacher for 30 years at the Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City, Utah. When he retired, he and his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Shorty died on June 4, 2000, just four days shy of his 89th birthday, and 10 days before Daugomah was born.
Shorty’s contributions were acknowledged both during his lifetime and after his death. On January 25, 1941, he was recognized by Eleanor Roosevelt for his role as a teacher of the Navajo language and for his work as a silversmith. He was awarded a Congressional Silver Medal posthumously by President George W. Bush during a ceremony for the Navajo Code Talkers on July 26, 2001.
His story, alongside the broader narrative of the Navajo Code Talkers, serves as a reminder of the bravery and ingenuity that helped secure victory during World War II.
As the nation celebrates National Navajo Code Talkers Day, the story of Dooley D. Shorty and the legacy he left behind is celebrated through the achievements and dedication of his great-grandson, Daugomah.
“I believe, and hope others agree, that our shared commitment to service, whether on the battlefield or through modern technology, embodies the enduring spirit of innovation that defined the Code Talkers’ crucial role in history.”
About NIWC Atlantic
As a part of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.