On Friday, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) praised Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer’s decision to name a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in honor of former Senator Jeremiah Denton of Alabama.
The late Denton was a prominent U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran and Navy Cross recipient.
The destroyer will be constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi – roughly 40 miles from Denton’s hometown of Mobile. More than 2,000 Ingalls employees live in Alabama.
“Secretary Spencer’s decision to honor Admiral Jeremiah Denton embodies the significant impact of his courageous actions during the Vietnam War,” Shelby said in a release. “Admiral Denton’s patriotism, sacrifice, and noble service to Alabama and our great nation will never be forgotten. He is very worthy of this honor, as his legacy merits this level of recognition.”
Secretary Spencer also added his praise of Denton’s service to our nation.
“Admiral Denton’s legacy is an inspiration to all who wear our nation’s uniform,” Spencer outlined.
“His heroic actions during a defining period in our history have left an indelible mark on our Navy and Marine Corps team and our nation. His service is a shining example for our Sailors and Marines and this ship will continue his legacy for decades to come,” he continued.
Denton graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and went on to serve in the Navy for 34 years as a test pilot, flight instructor and squadron leader. Following decades of military service, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980, where he honorably served the state of Alabama for six years.
In July of 1965, then-Commander Denton’s A-6 Intruder jet was shot down over North Vietnam. He spent the following eight years as a prisoner of war – many of those years in isolation. During an interview with a Japanese media outlet, Denton used Morse code to blink “torture,” signaling for the first time to U.S. Naval Intelligence that American troops were being tortured. Despite attempts to force military information out of Denton with torturous methods, he remained loyal to the United States. He was released from captivity in 1973 and finally retired from the Navy as a rear admiral in 1977.
His heroic actions earned him the Navy Cross – the U.S. military’s second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
The future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously. The advanced Navy vessel will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities.
RELATED: The legacy of Alabama hero Jeremiah Denton lives on
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
