Showing posts with label hero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hero. Show all posts
February 12 is Anniversary of Release of Admiral Denton From Vietnam's Hanoi Prison
Today, I received a wonderful email about a brave hero who served in the military over the years and during Vietnam. I decided to research this man further in order to find more information about him. He rather intrigued my curiosity. He was captured by hostile forces in Vietnam. On February 12, 1973, Admiral Jeremiah Denton was released from a prison in Vietnam. First, here is a most fascinating video:
Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. was born on July 15, 1924 in Mobile, Alabama. He attended McGill Institute, Spring Hill College, and the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1946.
"We don't have to turn to our history books for heroes. They are all around us. One who sits among you here tonight epitomized that heroism at the end of the longest imprisonment ever inflicted on men of our armed forces. Who will ever forget that night when we waited for the television to bring us the scene of that first plane landing at Clark Field in the Philippines--bringing our POWs home. The plane door opened and Jeremiah Denton came slowly down the ramp. He caught sight of our flag, saluted, and said, 'God Bless America.' then thanked us for bringing him home."
His 34-year naval career included service on a variety of ships and in many types of aircraft. His principal field of endeavor was naval operations. He also served as a test pilot, flight instructor, and squadron commander. In 1957, he was credited with revolutionizing naval strategy and tactics for nuclear war as architect of the "Haystack Concept."
In June 1965, he began a combat tour in Vietnam as prospective Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron Seventy-Five. On July 18, 1965, Denton was leading a group of twenty-eight aircraft from the USS Independence in an attack on enemy installations near Thanh Hoa, when he was shot down and captured by local North Vietnamese troops.
He spent the next seven years and seven months as a prisoner of war, suffering severe mistreatment and becoming the first U.S. military captive to be subjected to four years of solitary confinement.
A Commander when he was shot down, Denton was recommended for and promoted to the rank of Captain while a prisoner. He was confined at several prison camps in and around Hanoi, frequently acting as the senior American military officer in the camps.
Denton's name first came to the attention of the American public in 1966, during a television interview arranged by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi. Prior to the interview, torture and threats of more torture were applied to intimidate him to "respond properly and politely. " During the interview, after the journalist's recitation of alleged U.S. "war atrocities," Denton was asked about his support of U.S. policy concerning the war. He replied: "I don't know what is happening now in Vietnam, because the only news sources I have are North Vietnamese, but whatever the position of my government is, I believe in it, I support it, and I will support it as long as I live."
Throughout the interview, while responding to questions and feigning sensitivity to harsh lighting, Denton blinked his eyes in Morse Code, repeatedly spelling out a covert message: "T-O-R-T-U-R-E". The interview, which was broadcast on American television on May 17, 1966, was the first confirmation that American POWs in Vietnam were being tortured. Denton was released on February 12, 1973, when he again received international attention as the spokesman for the first group of POWs returning from Hanoi to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. Denton was advised that as the senior POW onboard, he might be expected to say something on behalf of the group upon arrival. As he stepped from the plane, Denton turned to the microphones and said: "We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances. We are profoundly grateful to our Commander-in-Chief and to our nation for this day. God bless America."
In April 1973, he was promoted to Rear Admiral.In his last tour of duty, Admiral Denton served as Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, for three and a half years. During his tour, he was credited with reinforcing NATO solidarity and hosted a highly successful NATO symposium of top national and NATO commanders, as well as academic, journalistic and corporate leaders.
The Denton and Ed Brandt collaboration, When Hell Was in Session was published in 1976 which chronicled the Vietnam experience of Denton and his family. An NBC television movie of the same title, based on the book, and starring Hal Holbrook and Eva-Marie Saint, won the Peabody Award in 1979.
In 1979, Denton retired from the Navy and returned to Mobile.
Denton was elected to the United States Senate in November 1980. In so doing, he became the first Republican ever elected by popular vote to the U S. Senate from Alabama, the first resident of Mobile elected to the U.S. Senate, the first retired military officer and the first Catholic elected to any statewide office in Alabama, and the first retired Admiral or General elected to the U.S. Senate by any state.
Denton served in the Senate from January 1981 to January 1987. His major committee assignments included: the Judiciary Committee where he chaired the Sub-Committee on Security and Terrorism; the Labor and Human Resources Committee where he was Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Aging, Family, and Human Services; the Armed Services Committee; and the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Among many other legislative accomplishments, Denton established the highly acclaimed international aid program now known as The Denton Program. Since inception, this program has transported over 20 million pounds of critical equipment and supplies to needy people throughout the world, on a space available basis and at no cost to the donors.
H/T goes to Denton Genealogy
Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. was born on July 15, 1924 in Mobile, Alabama. He attended McGill Institute, Spring Hill College, and the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1946.
"We don't have to turn to our history books for heroes. They are all around us. One who sits among you here tonight epitomized that heroism at the end of the longest imprisonment ever inflicted on men of our armed forces. Who will ever forget that night when we waited for the television to bring us the scene of that first plane landing at Clark Field in the Philippines--bringing our POWs home. The plane door opened and Jeremiah Denton came slowly down the ramp. He caught sight of our flag, saluted, and said, 'God Bless America.' then thanked us for bringing him home."
His 34-year naval career included service on a variety of ships and in many types of aircraft. His principal field of endeavor was naval operations. He also served as a test pilot, flight instructor, and squadron commander. In 1957, he was credited with revolutionizing naval strategy and tactics for nuclear war as architect of the "Haystack Concept."
In June 1965, he began a combat tour in Vietnam as prospective Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron Seventy-Five. On July 18, 1965, Denton was leading a group of twenty-eight aircraft from the USS Independence in an attack on enemy installations near Thanh Hoa, when he was shot down and captured by local North Vietnamese troops.
He spent the next seven years and seven months as a prisoner of war, suffering severe mistreatment and becoming the first U.S. military captive to be subjected to four years of solitary confinement.
A Commander when he was shot down, Denton was recommended for and promoted to the rank of Captain while a prisoner. He was confined at several prison camps in and around Hanoi, frequently acting as the senior American military officer in the camps.
Denton's name first came to the attention of the American public in 1966, during a television interview arranged by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi. Prior to the interview, torture and threats of more torture were applied to intimidate him to "respond properly and politely. " During the interview, after the journalist's recitation of alleged U.S. "war atrocities," Denton was asked about his support of U.S. policy concerning the war. He replied: "I don't know what is happening now in Vietnam, because the only news sources I have are North Vietnamese, but whatever the position of my government is, I believe in it, I support it, and I will support it as long as I live."
Throughout the interview, while responding to questions and feigning sensitivity to harsh lighting, Denton blinked his eyes in Morse Code, repeatedly spelling out a covert message: "T-O-R-T-U-R-E". The interview, which was broadcast on American television on May 17, 1966, was the first confirmation that American POWs in Vietnam were being tortured. Denton was released on February 12, 1973, when he again received international attention as the spokesman for the first group of POWs returning from Hanoi to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. Denton was advised that as the senior POW onboard, he might be expected to say something on behalf of the group upon arrival. As he stepped from the plane, Denton turned to the microphones and said: "We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances. We are profoundly grateful to our Commander-in-Chief and to our nation for this day. God bless America."
In April 1973, he was promoted to Rear Admiral.In his last tour of duty, Admiral Denton served as Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, for three and a half years. During his tour, he was credited with reinforcing NATO solidarity and hosted a highly successful NATO symposium of top national and NATO commanders, as well as academic, journalistic and corporate leaders.
Major Military Decorations:
Navy Cross
Dept. of Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Three Silver Stars
Distinguished Flying Cross
Five Bronze Stars
Two Air Medals
Two Purple Hearts
Combat Action Ribbon
Numerous combat theatre, campaign,
and occupation awards.
The Denton and Ed Brandt collaboration, When Hell Was in Session was published in 1976 which chronicled the Vietnam experience of Denton and his family. An NBC television movie of the same title, based on the book, and starring Hal Holbrook and Eva-Marie Saint, won the Peabody Award in 1979.
In 1979, Denton retired from the Navy and returned to Mobile.
Denton was elected to the United States Senate in November 1980. In so doing, he became the first Republican ever elected by popular vote to the U S. Senate from Alabama, the first resident of Mobile elected to the U.S. Senate, the first retired military officer and the first Catholic elected to any statewide office in Alabama, and the first retired Admiral or General elected to the U.S. Senate by any state.
Denton served in the Senate from January 1981 to January 1987. His major committee assignments included: the Judiciary Committee where he chaired the Sub-Committee on Security and Terrorism; the Labor and Human Resources Committee where he was Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Aging, Family, and Human Services; the Armed Services Committee; and the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Among many other legislative accomplishments, Denton established the highly acclaimed international aid program now known as The Denton Program. Since inception, this program has transported over 20 million pounds of critical equipment and supplies to needy people throughout the world, on a space available basis and at no cost to the donors.
Letter To The President by Harold B. Estes, a WWII Veteran
Ship Out!""
This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii
for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and
causes
all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body,
he has never spoken out before about a government official, until now.
He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the
president.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this
year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because
I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during
and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a
"rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to
keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.
One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my
mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.
So here goes.
I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do,
but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.
I can't figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies
like:
" We're no longer a Christian nation"
" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even
announced to the world,"America is mean-
spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching
that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who
died for no other reason than to free a
whole lot of strangers from tyranny and
hopelessness.)
I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America,
nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the
obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or
gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.
After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."
Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that
11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the
British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another
man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean
the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I
knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about
not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.
I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than
discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people
understood when they helped to get you elected.
Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.
Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what
I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania
Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the
hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like
slaves.
And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to
jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his
fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to
do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black
college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You
don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want
us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.
One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never
had to defend your country with your life, but you're the
Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened
field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission,
give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out.
The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political
strategy you're thinking of.
You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest
challenge ever presented to any president.
You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our
bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and
soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this
final battle.
Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes
When a 95 year old hero of the "the Greatest Generation" stands up and
speaks out like this, I think we owe it to him to send his words to as
many Americans as we can. Please pass it on.
This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii
for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and
causes
all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body,
he has never spoken out before about a government official, until now.
He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the
president.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this
year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because
I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during
and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a
"rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to
keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.
One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my
mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.
So here goes.
I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do,
but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.
I can't figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies
like:
" We're no longer a Christian nation"
" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even
announced to the world,"America is mean-
spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching
that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who
died for no other reason than to free a
whole lot of strangers from tyranny and
hopelessness.)
I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America,
nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the
obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or
gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.
After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."
Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that
11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the
British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another
man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean
the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I
knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about
not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.
I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than
discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people
understood when they helped to get you elected.
Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.
Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what
I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania
Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the
hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like
slaves.
And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to
jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his
fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to
do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black
college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You
don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want
us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.
One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never
had to defend your country with your life, but you're the
Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened
field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission,
give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out.
The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political
strategy you're thinking of.
You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest
challenge ever presented to any president.
You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our
bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and
soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this
final battle.
Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes
When a 95 year old hero of the "the Greatest Generation" stands up and
speaks out like this, I think we owe it to him to send his words to as
many Americans as we can. Please pass it on.
Honoring George S. Rice, My Father-in-Law, On Independence Day
A Very Special Fallen Hero
After seeing the memorable picture of the fire fighters raising the flag after 9/11, I decided to dedicate Independence Day to a very special Fallen Hero, my Father-in-Law, George S. Rice. I never knew my father-in-law since he died when my husband, Kevin was only 8 years old. I consider George Rice one of the bravest men ever, to sacrifice his life in the line of duty in order to protect others'. I am proud of both him and my husband. My husband had to endure the loss of his father at eight years old. I can't imagine what he and his family went through on that day and in the days ahead. I believe that it is one of the most selfless acts ever, to give one's own life in the line of duty.
On August 2nd, 1978 George Rice and several other firefighters responded to a fire at the Waldbaum's Grocery Store, in a section of Brooklyn called Sheepshead Bay. Three engine Companies, and two ladder companies, along with the 33 Battalion were dispatched to the scene. The Waldbaum's was under major renovations at the time. The workers pointed out where the fire apparently started. Due to the renovations the fire quickly spread to the roof. As the fire worsened the 33rd battalion sent out a second alarm. As Units were operating on the roof area the fire worsened, and the fire was now shown through two roof areas. The roof ended up collapsing. The Brave Fallen Firefighters were found amidst the rubble of what used to be the Waldbaum's store. There were five other firefighters who died alongside George Rice. On the 20th Anniversary of the six firefighters deaths the corner where the Waldbaum's Store used to stand, was now to be called Fireman's Corner in honor of the six firefighters who gave their lives on August 2, 1978. God Bless to a very special hero, George Rice.
As we remember all of our brave men and women on Independence day, the birthday of our nation, I am proud to honor especially today George Rice. From the stories I have heard, he was a great father to my husband. It is unfortunate that his life was taken so soon, but I believe that both Kevin and I have a very special angel in heaven watching over us today. Even though, I never had the opportunity to meet him I feel that I have a special connection with him.
God Bless America!!
God Bless Our Fallen!!
God Bless Our Troops!!
God Bless My Hero George Rice!!
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