By Sentinel Staff

The family of Louis Minard invites the community to commemorate his service as a World War II Tlingit Code Talker and his award of a Congressional Medal of Recognition, 4-6 p.m. March 19 at Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski will present the medal. A reception and presentations will follow.

Louis Minard, Kaachdax, (1917-2004) was a Tlingit culture bearer and highly respected Tlingit elder of Kake, Petersburg and Sitka. He was Tlingit of the Tsaagweidi, Split Killer Whale Clan. 

The U.S. Army veteran was a Tlingít Code Talker. The Tlingit Code was an unbroken code used to deliver wartime messages during World War II and recognized for the significant impact on the war effort. In accordance with the Code Talker Recognition Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-420) Minard will be added to the list of Native American Code Talkers maintained by the Smithsonian Institution.

He joins Richard Bean Sr., Robert “Jeff” David Sr., Mark Jacobs Jr., Harvey Jacobs, and George Lewis Jr., who were recognized in 2013.

Murkowski will present the medal, struck by United States Mint, to Minard’s next of kin.

 At the March 19 ceremony, community members and the media are invited to attend.

Minard’s remains were placed at the Sitka National Cemetery with the inscription ‘‘Code Talker’’ on the marker last fall.