Last South Dakota code talker from World War II laid to rest
By APWednesday, June 23, 2010
Last South Dakota code talker buried
STURGIS, S.D. — The last of the American Indian code talkers of South Dakota who served during World War II has been laid to rest.
Clarence Wolf Guts of Wanblee was buried Tuesday in Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. The 86-year-old Wolf Guts died June 16 at the South Dakota Veterans Home in Hot Springs.
Wolf Guts was one of 11 Lakota, Nakota and Dakota code talkers from South Dakota. During the war, they transmitted messages from an Army general to his chief of staff in the field using their native tongue, which the Germans and the Japanese could not translate.
People came from around the country to pay their respects at his funeral. Gov. Mike Rounds asked that flags be flown at half staff in Wolf Guts’ honor.
Information from: KEVN-TV, www.kevn.com
