Veteran of the Day – March 9, 2026

Captain Jeremiah A. Denton Jr.

United States Navy | Vietnam POW Survivor

Name: Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr.
Rank: Captain
Branch: United States Navy
Born: July 15, 1924 – Mobile, Alabama
Died: March 28, 2014 – Virginia Beach, Virginia

Early Life

Jeremiah Denton grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and later attended the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1946.

He became a naval aviator, flying attack aircraft during the Cold War as tensions between the United States and communist nations intensified.

By the mid-1960s, Denton was serving as a carrier-based pilot aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence during the Vietnam War.

Shot Down Over North Vietnam

On July 18, 1965, Denton was flying an A-6 Intruder strike mission over North Vietnam when his aircraft was shot down by enemy air defenses.

He and his bombardier/navigator ejected and were captured by North Vietnamese forces.

Denton would spend nearly eight years as a prisoner of war.

The Famous “Blinking Message”

In 1966, North Vietnamese authorities forced Denton to appear in a propaganda television interview intended to show that American prisoners were being treated well.

While answering questions, Denton blinked repeatedly in Morse code.

The message he transmitted was:

T-O-R-T-U-R-E

This was the first confirmation to U.S. intelligence that American POWs were being tortured in captivity.

His act of courage exposed the brutal treatment of prisoners in North Vietnam.

Years of Captivity

During his imprisonment, Denton endured:

• repeated interrogations
• solitary confinement
• physical torture
• years in the notorious Hanoi Hilton prison

Despite these conditions, he remained a leader among the POWs and helped maintain morale and discipline among fellow prisoners.

Freedom and Return Home

After 7 years and 7 months in captivity, Denton was finally released on February 12, 1973, during Operation Homecoming, when American POWs were returned following the Paris Peace Accords.

Upon arriving back in the United States, Denton famously stated:

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances.”

Life After the War

Jeremiah Denton continued serving his country long after Vietnam.

He later became:

• Rear Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.)
• United States Senator from Alabama (1981–1987)
• a national advocate for POW/MIA recognition and veterans’ issues