WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall paid tribute in a speech on the Senate floor to the life and service of Chester Nez, the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers, who died Wednesday morning.

AUDIO: http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/files/mp3/06052014CodeTalkerSpeech.mp3
VIDEO: http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1682

"Today, we say goodbye to this great hero, this humble man who served our country with such devotion," Udall said in his speech. "We say goodbye with sadness. But also with appreciation for a debt that can never be fully paid, for courage that will forever inspire, and for a life that truly made a difference."

"As we mark Chester's passing, we honor his memory with a renewed dedication to preserve our Native languages, and to keep alive the story of our Code Talkers, the heroic story of the Navajo, and also of other Native American tribes," Udall continued. "Their codes and their commitment – forever unbroken."

During his remarks, Udall recalled a 2001 ceremony, at which Nez and the original Code Talkers received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor Congress can bestow. Udall and former Sen. Jeff Bingaman were instrumental in securing congressional approval for the award.

The following are Udall's full remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. President, as you know, our state of New Mexico has a great tradition of military service. When the nation has called, New Mexico has always answered. And today I wanted to say a few words to remember Mr. Chester Nez, the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. Mr. Nez passed away Wednesday morning in Albuquerque.

We are forever indebted to him and his fellow warriors. They turned the Navajo language into an unbreakable code using a language they were forbidden to speak in school as a weapon to defend our freedoms in war. Freedoms that they themselves did not always enjoy.

Theirs is a great story of courage, of love of country, and of tremendous sacrifice. In battle after battle, in ferocious combat, the Navajo code saved countless lives and helped secure Allied victory.

In 2001, the original Code Talkers received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor that Congress can give. Our former colleague, Senator Jeff Bingaman, fought hard for this, and I was pleased to push for it in the House. It was richly deserved and long overdue.

Mr. Nez was there for the ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. It was a great day, to finally see the Code Talkers receive their medals. I said then what I continue to feel now: Their service can never be forgotten and can never be diminished.

Chester Nez was modest in his own life, but proud of the Code Talkers, and proud of the Navajo. In his later years, he visited schools and colleges all across our nation to tell their story.

In his memoir, written with Judith Avila, he said, "I reminded myself that my Navajo people had always been warriors, protectors. In that there was honor. I would concentrate on being a warrior, on protecting my homeland."

As we mark Chester's passing, we honor his memory with a renewed dedication to preserve our Native languages, and to keep alive the story of our Code Talkers, the heroic story of the Navajo, and also of other Native American tribes. Their codes and their commitment – forever unbroken.

Today, we say goodbye to this great hero, this humble man who served our country with such devotion. We say goodbye with sadness, but also with appreciation for a debt that can never be fully paid, for courage that will forever inspire, and for a life that truly made a difference.