{{Infobox officeholder
| name              = Frank Chee Willeto
| image             = 
| imagesize         = 
| order             = 4th
| office            = Vice President of the Navajo Nation
| term_start        = August 1998<ref name=abqj/>
| term_end          = January 12, 1999
| president         = [[Milton Bluehouse, Sr.]]
| predecessor       = [[Milton Bluehouse, Sr.]]
| successor         = [[Taylor McKenzie]]
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1925|06|06}}
| birth_place       = [[Crownpoint, New Mexico|Crownpoint]], [[New Mexico]]
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2012|06|23|1925|06|06}}
| death_place       = [[Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico]]
| nationality       = {{flag|Navajo Nation}} and <br>{{flag|USA}}
| party             = 
| spouse            = 
| occupation        =
| residence         = 
| religion          = 
}}

'''Frank Chee Willeto''' (June 6, 1925 – June 23, 2012) was an [[Americans|American]] [[politician]] and [[Navajo language|Navajo]] [[code talker]] during [[World War II]].<ref name=abqj /><ref name=nt /> Willeto served as the vice president of the [[Navajo Nation]] under [[President of the Navajo Nation|President]] [[Milton Bluehouse, Sr.]] from his appointment in August 1998 until January 1999, when the [[Kelsey Begaye|Begaye administration]] took office.<ref name=abqj/>

==Early life==
Willeto was born in [[Crownpoint, New Mexico]], on June 6, 1925.<ref name=abqj/> According to the ''[[Navajo Times]]'', Willeto was "Bit'ahnii (Folded Arms Clan), born for Tódích'íi'nii (Bitter Water Clan). His chei [mother's grandfather] was Ta'neeszahnii (Tangle Clan) and his nálí (paternal family) was Naakai dine'é (Mexican People Clan)."<ref name=nt/>

==Code talker==
He enlisted in the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] in January 1944 during World War II.<ref name=dh /> Willeto joined the [[6th Marine Division (United States)|6th Marine Division]], serving in the Pacific Theater in [[Saipan]] and [[Okinawa]] as a [[Navajo code talker]].<ref name=dh/> The code talkers’ role in the war was not disclosed until 1968, when documents on the talkers were declassified.<ref name=abqj/> Willeto and other surviving Navajo code talkers were awarded the [[Congressional Silver Medal]] in 2001.<ref name=abqj/><ref name=dh/>

==Career==
He returned to the Navajo Nation following the end of World War II. He was employed in the roads department of the [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] from 1946 until 1974.<ref name=abqj/> Willeto then joined the [[United States Department of Education]].<ref name=nnn/>

Willeto was elected to the [[Navajo Nation Council]] in 1974.<ref name=nnn /> He remained on the council until 1986, when he was elected as the president of the Pueblo Pintado Chapter.<ref name=nnn/> Willeto also served as a judge on the former Navajo Supreme Judicial Council, a precursor to the present-day [[Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation]].<ref name=abqj/><ref name=nnn/>

On July 23, 1998, Navajo Nation President [[Thomas Atcitty]] was removed from office by the [[Navajo Nation Council]] for ethics violations.<ref name=kdm /> Atcitty was succeeded by [[Milton Bluehouse, Sr.]], Atcitty's vice president, as [[interim]] president one day later.<ref name=abqj/> Bluehouse appointed Willeto as vice president of the Navajo Nation in August 1998.<ref name=abqj/><ref name=dh/> Together, Bluehouse and Willeto ran as [[running mates]] for a full, four-year term in the November 1998 presidential election.<ref name=dc /> [[Kelsey Begaye]] won the general election and was inaugurated on January 12, 1999. Willeto remained vice president within the Bluehouse administration until Begaye took office.<ref name=dh/>

==Later life==
He remained active in public life. Willeto was a proponent of the new [[Tsé Yi’ Gai High School]] in Pueblo Pintado and the construction of a new bridge between the high school and Navajo Route 9.<ref name=nt/>

Willeto was a frequent visitor to the eastern United States, especially [[Washington, D.C.]] In 2008, Willeto gave the blessing to mark the start of construction on the [[USS New Mexico (SSN-779)]] nuclear submarine in [[Newport News, Virginia]].<ref name=nt/> He was also invited to the [[White House]] to witness the signing of the [[Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009]] by [[U.S. President]] [[Barack Obama]].<ref name=nt/> Most recently, Willeto appeared as a panelist for the [[United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs]]' "The Way of the Warrior: Native Americans' Commitment to Country, Community, and Communication" panel on November 16, 2011, as part of National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.<ref name=nnn/>

Willeto died at his home in [[Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico]], on June 23, 2012, at the age of 87.<ref name=abqj/><ref name=nt/><ref name=dh/> [[Governor of New Mexico|New Mexico Governor]] [[Susana Martinez]] ordered [[Half-mast|flags to be flown at half-mast]] in Willeto's honor.<ref name=dh/> [[President of the Navajo Nation|Navajo Nation President]] [[Ben Shelly]] also offered all Navajo flags to be flown at half staff from June 25 until June 28.<ref name=nnn/> His funeral was held at the Tseဴ Yi’ Gai High School in Pueblo Pintado.<ref name=nnn/> Willeto was buried at [[Santa Fe National Cemetery]] in [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]], June 29, 2012, at a ceremony attended by 150 people, including Governor Martinez.<ref name=dh/>

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name=abqj>{{cite news
| first         = Charles D.
| last          = Brunt 
| title         = Former Navajo Code Talker Willeto Dies
| url           = http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/06/25/abqnewsseeker/former-navajo-code-talker-willeto-dies.html 
| work          = [[Albuquerque Journal]]
| publisher     =
| date          = 2012-06-25
| access-date   = 2012-07-11
| archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20190612200547/https://www.abqjournal.com/114854/former-navajo-code-talker-willeto-dies.html
| archive-date  = 2019-06-12
| url-status=live
}}</ref>

<ref name=nt>{{cite news
| first        = Noel Lyn
| last         = Smith 
| title        = A life of service, Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willetto is remembered by memorial speakers 
| url          = http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2012/0712/070512wil.php 
| work         = [[Navajo Times]] 
| publisher    =
| date         = 2012-07-05 
| access-date  = 2012-07-11
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120712025031/http://navajotimes.com/entertainment/2012/0712/070512wil.php
| archive-date = 2012-07-12
| url-status=live
}}</ref>

<ref name=dh>{{cite news
| first          = Milan
| last           = Simonich 
| title          = Navajo Code Talker Willeto laid to rest 
| url            = http://www.demingheadlight.com/deming-news/ci_20991929/navajo-code-talker-willeto-laid-rest 
| work           = [[Texas-New Mexico Newspapers]] 
| publisher      = [[The Deming Headlight]]
| date           = 2012-07-02 
| access-date    = 2012-07-13
| archive-url    =https://web.archive.org/web/20140714140331/http://www.demingheadlight.com/deming-news/ci_20991929/navajo-code-talker-willeto-laid-rest
| archive-date   =2014-07-14
| url-status=dead
}}
</ref>

<ref name=nnn>{{cite news
| author       = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
| title        = Funeral for Late Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Set for Tomorrow 
| url          = http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/funeral-for-late-code-talker-frank-chee-willeto-set-for-tomorrow.html 
| work         = [[Native News Network]] 
| publisher    =
| date         = 2012-06-27 
| access-date  = 2012-07-13
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121109030109/http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/funeral-for-late-code-talker-frank-chee-willeto-set-for-tomorrow.html
| archive-date = 2012-11-09
| url-status=dead
}}</ref>

<ref name=kdm>{{cite news
| author       = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
| title        = Navajo name new present – again; Bluehouse appointed
| url          = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f6pPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RVMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4545,4176005&dq=kelsey+begaye&hl=en 
| work         = [[Associated Press]] 
| publisher    = [[Kingman Daily Miner]] 
| date         = 1998-07-26 
| access-date  = 2012-07-09
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20151009064750/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f6pPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RVMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4545,4176005&dq=kelsey+begaye&hl=en
| archive-date = 2015-10-09
| url-status=live
}}</ref>

<ref name=dc>{{cite news
| author       = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
| title        = Navajo leaders urge tribal youth to vote 
| url          = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SqAvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ek0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5883,3140636&dq=bluehouse+willeto+election&hl=en 
| work         = [[Associated Press]] 
| publisher    = [[The Daily Courier (Arizona)]] 
| date         = 1998-10-28 
| access-date  = 2012-07-11
}}</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
Frank Willeto
* [https://archive.today/20130630095201/http://talking-feather.com/2010/06/19/well-always-have-the-code-talkers/ ''Code Talkers' Stories Recorded in DC.''] Talking Feather. June 19, 2010.
* [http://nnwo.org/content/navajo-code-talker-frank-chee-willeto-join-scia-panel-way-warrior ''Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto to join SCIA Panel on Way of the Warrior.''] Navajo Nation Washington Office. November 16, 2011.
* [http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2666542.shtml ''Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Dies.''] KOB-TV. June 23, 2012.
* [http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/06/26/navajo-code-talker-frank-chee-willeto-walks-on-120616 ''Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto Walk On''.] Indian Country Today Media Network. June 26, 2012.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120603085234/http://buffalopost.net/?tag=navajo-code-talkers ''Navajo Code Talkers honored with N.M. highway dedication.''] The Buffalo Post.
Code Talkers
* Aaseng, Nathan. ''Navajo Code Talkers: America’s Secret Weapon in World War II.'' New York: Walker & Company, 1992.
* Durrett, Deanne. ''Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers.'' Library of American Indian History, Facts on File, Inc., 1998.
* McClain, Salley. ''Navajo Weapon: The Navajo Code Talkers.'' Tucson, Arizona: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2001.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121112102655/http://www.navajocodetalkers.org/code_talker_story/ Official Site of the Navajo Code Talkers]

{{Vice Presidents of the Navajo Nation}}
{{Native Americans and World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willeto, Frank Chee}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:Navajo code talkers]]
[[Category:Native American politicians]]
[[Category:Vice Presidents of the Navajo Nation]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:People from McKinley County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Military personnel from New Mexico]]