Samuel F. Sandoval (October 24, 1923 – July 29, 2022) was an American

Navajo The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language. The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (1 ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

veteran.

Early life

Samuel Sandoval was born on October 24, 1923, to Julian Sandoval and Helen Smith in Nageezi,

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. He had eight siblings: Mabel Sandoval-Penn, Bert, Betsy, Nellie, Robert,

Merril Merril is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: * Judith Merril (1923–1997), American and Canadian science fiction writer * Merril Anthony (1909–1967), Guyanese cricketer * Merril Bainbridge (born 1968), Australian s ...

, Rodger, and Beulah.

Honours

National honours

* **

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

Combat Action Ribbon The Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) is a United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States Marine Corps military decoration awarded to United States sea service members "who have actively participated in ground or surface combat." Coast ...

China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a service medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted by Navy Department General Order No. 176 on 1 July 1942. The medal recognized service in and around China befo ...

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. Histo ...

Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp ** Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon

Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal was a United States military award of the Second World War, which was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. The medal was create ...

with a silver star, in lieu of five bronze stars

References

1922 births 2022 deaths 21st-century Native American people 20th-century Native American people Navajo code talkers Native American military personnel People from San Juan County, New Mexico {{US-mil-bio-stub