View source for Jerry C. Begay

{{Short description|WWII Navajo Code Talker (1924–2008)}}
'''Jerry ClasChee Begay Sr.''' (December 8, 1924<ref name=fdt>{{cite news|title=Jerry ClasChee Begay Sr |url=http://www.daily-times.com/ci_9410033? |work=[[Farmington Daily Times]] |date=2008-05-29 |access-date=2008-06-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609050827/http://www.daily-times.com/ci_9410033 |archive-date=2011-06-09 }}</ref> – May 26, 2008) was an [[Americans|American]] [[World War II]] [[veteran]] and a member of the [[Navajo Code Talkers]].

==Life==
Begay was born on December 8, 1924, in [[Sheep Springs, New Mexico]]. His parents were Clauschee Begay and {{spell-nv|Hashtłʼishnii Bistʼi}}. He was a member of the {{spell-nv|Kinlichíiʼnii}} clan and was born for the {{spell-nv|Dziłtłʼahnii}}.<ref name=fdt2>{{cite news
 |first=Cornelia 
 |last=de Bruin 
 |title=Navajo Code Talker dies on Memorial Day 
 |url=http://www.daily-times.com/news/ci_9410031 
 |work=[[Farmington Daily Times]] 
 |date=2008-05-29 
 |access-date=2008-06-06 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929194411/http://www.daily-times.com/news/ci_9410031 
 |archive-date=2008-09-29 
}}</ref> Begay attended Toadlena Boarding School and Fort Wingate High School.<ref name=fdt/>

He enlisted in the [[United States Marines]] when he was 17 years old while he was still a student at Fort Wingate High School. He served in the Second Marine division, 297th Platoon, as a [[Navajo Code Talker]] during World War II. Among the battles in which he served was the American invasion of the island of [[Tarawa]], in present-day [[Kiribati]].<ref name=fdt2/> Begay was wounded during World War II and was awarded the [[Purple Heart]]. Begay was also awarded the Sharpshooters Medal, the [[World War II Victory Medal]], the [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star for his service. Begay received an [[honorable discharge]] and left the U.S. Marines in 1945.<ref name=fdt/><ref name=fdt2/>

Begay began working at the Phelps Dodge Copper Mining Company in [[Morenci, Arizona]], shortly after the end of World War II. He remained at the company for 33 years until his retirement in 1982. He also worked in community service, including at the Tsaile Health Center, in the towns of [[Tsaile]] and [[Lukachukai]].<ref name=fdt2/>

Throughout his life, Begay remained active in the Navajo Code Talkers Association and the [[Disabled American Veterans]].<ref name=fdt/> He was awarded the [[Congressional Silver Medal of Honor]] in November 2001 for his service as a code talker, alongside fellow veteran code talkers such as [[Frank Tsosie Thompson]].<ref name=fdt2/><ref name=azr>{{cite news |title=Navajo Code Talker Frank Thompson dies |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/03/20080603codetalker-obit.html |agency= [[Associated Press]] |publisher=[[Arizona Republic]] |date=2008-06-03 |access-date=2008-06-06}}</ref>

Jerry C. Begay died on [[Memorial Day]] on May 26, 2008, in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], at the age of 83.<ref name=fdt2/> His funeral and burial took place at St. Mary's Catholic Church and Memory Gardens in [[Farmington, New Mexico]].<ref name=fdt/> Begay, who was a resident of [[Lukachukai, Arizona]], was survived by his wife, Ella Sorrelman Begay, and his children: Jerry C. Begay Jr., Daniel C. Begay, Priscilla Begay Coutu and Verna Begay Lopez.<ref name=fdt/><ref name=fdt2/> He was preceded in death by one daughter, Evangeline Begay Alvarez.<ref name=fdt2/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{New Mexico during World War II}}
{{Native Americans and World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Begay, Jerry}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:Navajo code talkers]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:People from San Juan County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:People from Morenci, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Apache County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Military personnel from New Mexico]]
[[Category:20th-century Native American people]]
[[Category:21st-century Native American people]]