| Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. |
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| Rank, Service |
| Rear Admiral O-8, U.S. Navy |
| Veteran of: |
U.S. Naval Academy 1943-1946
U.S. Navy 1946-1977
World War II (Naval Academy)
Cold War 1946-1977
Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Vietnam War 1965-1973 (POW)
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| Tribute: |
Jeremiah Denton was born in 1924 in Mobile, Alabama. He was commissioned through the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1947 on June 5, 1946, a full year early due to World War II. His first assignment was as a communications officer aboard the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) from June 1946 to January 1948. Denton then entered flight school and was designated a Naval Aviator in November 1948. From 1948 to 1956, he served as an instructor pilot, test pilot, and project officer. His next assignment was as an Air Defense Officer on the staff of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, where he served from June 1956 to July 1958. LCDR Denton attended Armed Forces Staff College from August 1958 to January 1959, and then served as a flight instructor with VT-22 from January 1959 to August 1961. After completing additional training, Denton served as Executive Officer of VA-75 from January 1962 to April 1963. He then served as Commander of VA-75 until September 1963. CDR Denton attended Naval War College from September 1963 to June 1964, and then attended A-6 Intruder upgrade training from July 1964 to February 1965. He then served as Operations Officer for CAW-7 and flew with VA-75 off the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA-62) from February 1965 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on July 18, 1965. After spending 2,766 days in captivity, Capt Denton was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973. He recovered from his injuries at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, and then became Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College, where he served from January 1974 to June 1977. His final assignment was as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Education and Training from June 1977 until his retirement from the Navy on October 31, 1977. After his retirement from the Navy, Denton served as a consultant to the Christian Broadcasting Network from 1978 to 1980, and was a U.S. Senator from Alabama from 1981 to 1987. In 1976, ADM Denton published a book titled "When Hell Was in Session", which details his experience as a Prisoner of War.
His Navy Cross Citation reads:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Jeremiah A. Denton (485087), Rear Admiral [then Commander], U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from February 1966 to May 1966. Under constant pressure from North Vietnamese interrogators and guards, Rear Admiral Denton experienced harassment, intimidation and ruthless treatment in their attempt to gain military information and cooperative participation for propaganda purposes. During this prolonged period of physical and mental agony, he heroically resisted cruelties and continued to promulgate resistance policy and detailed instructions. Forced to attend a press conference with a Japanese correspondent, he blinked out a distress message in Morse Code at the television camera and was understood by United States Naval Intelligence. When this courageous act was reported to the North Vietnamese, he was again subjected to severe brutalities. Displaying extraordinary skill, fearless dedication to duty, and resourcefulness, he reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces. |
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CDR Denton with his A-6A Intruder aboard the USS Independence in 1965.
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