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'''Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr.''' (July 15, 1924 &ndash; March 28, 2014), was an [[United States|American]] rear admiral and [[United States Navy]] rear admiral and aviator and prisoner of war in [[World War II]] and the [[Vietnam War]] who subsequently served from 1981 to 1987 as the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[United States Senator]] since [[Reconstruction]] in his native [[Alabama]]. Admiral Denton was also the first [[Roman Catholic]] elected to statewide office in Alabama.<ref name=destroyer/>

'''Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr.''' (July 15, 1924 &ndash; March 28, 2014), was an [[United States|American]] rear admiral and [[United States Navy]] rear admiral and aviator and prisoner of war in [[World War II]] and the [[Vietnam War]] who subsequently served from 1981 to 1987 as the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[United States Senator]] since [[Reconstruction]] in his native [[Alabama]]. Admiral Denton was also the first [[Roman Catholic]] elected to statewide office in Alabama.<ref name=destroyer/>

A native of [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], Denton endured nearly eight years of grueling conditions as a [[prisoner of war]] in [[North Vietnam]] after his plane was shot down in 1965. He was the first of the American POWs held captive and released in February 1973. Denton was compelled by his captors to participate in a 1966 televised propaganda interview which was broadcast in the United States. While answering questions, Denton blinked his eyes in [[Morse code]] to spell the word "T-O-R-T-U-R-E." This confirmed to Naval Intelligence that American POWs were being tortured by the [[Communism|communists]].<ref name=findagrave>Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr. (1924-2014) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed October 26, 2021.</ref>

A native of [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], Denton endured nearly eight years of grueling conditions as a [[prisoner of war]] in [[North Vietnam]] after his plane was shot down in 1965. He was the first of the American POWs held captive and released in February 1973. Denton was compelled by his captors to participate in a 1966 televised propaganda interview which was broadcast in the United States. While answering questions, Denton blinked his eyes in [[Morse code]] to spell the word "T-O-R-T-U-R-E." This confirmed to Naval Intelligence that American POWs were being tortured by the [[Communism|communists]].<ref name=findagrave>Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr. (1924-2014) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed October 26, 2021.</ref>

In 1976, Denton wrote about his time as a captive in his book ''When Hell Was in Session.'' In 1979, the actor Hal Holbrook portrayed Denton in a film about his experiences.<ref name=findagrave/> He was the subject of the 2015 documentary ''Jeremiah'' produced by Alabama [[Public Broadcasting Service]].<ref>Alabama Public Television Documentaries | JEREMIAH | PBS, accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

In 1976, Denton wrote about his time as a captive in his book ''When Hell Was in Session.'' In 1979, the actor Hal Holbrook portrayed Denton in a film about his experiences.<ref name=findagrave/> He was the subject of the 2015 documentary ''Jeremiah'' produced by Alabama [[Public Broadcasting Service]].<ref>Alabama Public Television Documentaries |JEREMIAH| PBS, accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

In 1980, Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate. First, he easily defeated Armistead Selden, a [[primary]] rival supported by the party establishment. Then Denton defeated [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] James Elisha "Jim" Folsom, Jr. (born 1949), with 50.2 percent of the vote. Folson was subsequently [[governor]] for two years and the son of former Governor James Folsom, Sr. (1908-1987). Folsom had unseated the short-term Senator Donald Wilbur Stewart, who had won the seat in a [[special election]] in 1978 over fellow Democrat Maryon Pittman Allen (1925-2018), the widow of [[conservative]] Democratic Senator [[James B. Allen]]. He was aided in his election by the presence of [[Ronald Reagan]] heading the Republican presidential ticket against [[Jimmy Carter]] of neighboring [[Georgia]]. In the Senate, he concentrated on family issues and worked for passage in 1981 of the Adolescent Family Life Act, often derided by critics as the "Chastity bill."<ref>'Teen-age Chastity Bill' designed to care for pregnant girls - UPI Archives, accessed October 27, 2021.</ref> Denton established the Coalition for Decency, which proposed to clean up [[television]] by urging [[boycott]s of sponsors that promoted sexual promiscuity.<ref name=destroyer/> He also focused on national security as the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Security and Terrorism.<ref>Document - Statement by Senator Jeremiah Denton Before the Subcommittee on Security and Terrorism February 2, 1983 | Office of Justice Programs (ojp.gov), accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

In 1980, Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate. First, he easily defeated Armistead Inge Selden, Jr. (1921-1985), a [[primary]] rival supported by the [[Republican Party|GOP]] establishment. Then Denton defeated [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] James Elisha "Jim" Folsom, Jr. (born 1949), with 50.2 percent of the vote. Folson was subsequently [[governor]] for two years and the son of former Governor James Folsom, Sr. (1908-1987). Folsom had unseated the short-term Senator Donald Wilbur Stewart, who had won the seat in a [[special election]] in 1978 over fellow Democrat Maryon Pittman Allen (1925-2018), the widow of [[conservative]] Democratic Senator [[James B. Allen]]. He was aided in his election by the presence of [[Ronald Reagan]] heading the Republican presidential ticket against [[Jimmy Carter]] of neighboring [[Georgia]]. In the Senate, he concentrated on family issues and worked for passage in 1981 of the Adolescent Family Life Act, often derided by critics as the "Chastity bill."<ref>'Teen-age Chastity Bill' designed to care for pregnant girls - UPI Archives, accessed October 27, 2021.</ref> Denton established the Coalition for Decency, which proposed to clean up [[television]] by urging [[boycott]s of sponsors that promoted sexual promiscuity.<ref name=destroyer/> He also focused on national security as the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Security and Terrorism.<ref>Document - Statement by Senator Jeremiah Denton Before the Subcommittee on Security and Terrorism February 2, 1983 | Office of Justice Programs (ojp.gov), accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

In 1986, a heavily Democrat year, he was narrowly unseated by then Democrat and later [[Moderate Republican]] [[Richard Shelby]], who is retiring in January 2023.<ref name=destroyer/> In that same election, however, Republican Harold Guy Hunt (1933-2009 won the Alabama governor's race, reversing a large defeat eight years earlier.

In 1986, a heavily Democrat year, he was narrowly unseated by then Democrat and later [[Moderate Republican]] [[Richard Shelby]], who is retiring in January 2023.<ref name=destroyer/> In that same election, however, Republican Harold Guy Hunt (1933-2009 won the Alabama governor's race, reversing a large defeat eight years earlier.

During his time with CBN, both Denton and Robertson repeatedly expressed support for the [[Contras|Contra]] forces which fought the [[Sandinista]] communists in [[Nicaragua]].<ref name=destroyer>DDG-129 USS Jeremiah Denton Arleigh Burke class Destroyer (seaforces.org), accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

During his time with CBN, both Denton and Robertson repeatedly expressed support for the [[Contras|Contra]] forces which fought the [[Sandinista]] communists in [[Nicaragua]].<ref name=destroyer>DDG-129 USS Jeremiah Denton Arleigh Burke class Destroyer (seaforces.org), accessed October 27, 2021.</ref>

Denton died at the age of eighty-nine in Virginia Beach, [[Virginia]], and is interred at [[Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name=findagrave/> The ''USS Jeremiah Denton'' (DDG 129) is named in his honor.<ref name=destroyer/>

Denton died at the age of eighty-nine in Virginia Beach, [[Virginia]], and is interred at [[Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name=findagrave/> The ''USS Jeremiah Denton'' (DDG 129) is named in his honor.<ref name=destroyer/>