Wampum

Frank Sanache

Frank Sanache, a Meskwaki (Fox) was sent to North Africa, where five months later he was captured by the German Army and spent the next 28 months as a POW. He died Saturday at the age of 86. He was the last living Meskwaki Code Talker. He is remembered as a humble man, reluctant to talk about his war experience and his years as a POW. He is shown in the photo on the right. Eight Meskwakis were trained by the Army Signal Corps to use code during World War II. They were not recognized for this, and kept their collective secret for almost 60 years. Recently, the State of Iowa recognized Sanchez for his service, and Senators. Charles Grassley (R) and Tom Harkin (D) are working to have the Meskwaki and other Code Talkers recognized with Congressional medals.

The Meskwaki, based in Tama County, were one of 18 Nations that contributed code talkers to the Allies during the war. The Meskwakis Code Talker veterans went largely unnoticed because the code was classified until 1968.

The other Meskwaki code talkers were Sanache's brother, Willard, Dewey Youngbear, Edward Benson, Judy Wayne Wabaunasee, Mike Wayne Wabaunasee, Dewey Roberts and Mike Twin. They were among 27 Meskwakis who enlisted in the Iowa National Guard in 1941 and were activated in the Army's 34th Division. After his return to Iowa, Sanache worked for 38 years at a paper mill in Tama. He and his wife, Bernice raised four daughters. He also is survived by four adopted sons. He was buried today with military honors.