Lloyd Oliver (April 23, 1923 – March 16, 2011) was an American veteran of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

and one of the original 29 members of the

Navajo Code Talkers A code talker was a person employed by the military during wartime to use a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The term is now usually associated with United States service members during the world wars who used their k ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and the brother of fellow Code Talker Willard Varnell Oliver. Oliver served from 1942 to 1945, eventually attaining the rank of

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

. His parents were Howard and Olive (Lee) Oliver.Indian Census Roll Census of the Navajo reservation of the Northern Navajo juristiction April 1831. NARA Series M595, Roll 304, Sheet 454, lines 568-571. (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1967). Oliver was awarded the

Congressional Gold Medal The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oliver, Lloyd 1923 births 2011 deaths Congressional Gold Medal recipients Navajo code talkers People from Shiprock, New Mexico People from Avondale, Arizona Military personnel from New Mexico 20th-century Native Americans 21st-century Native Americans