18 Comments

Truly a great American. So many great Americans participated in the Vietnam conflict, including me. 58,000+ made the ultimate sacrifice. All are great Americans. I had the opportunity to be at Hickman when they returned home.

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CDR Sal, thank you for reminding us of the nobility that people are capable of and why even trying to imitate them in a small way is a worthy effort for us mere mortals. Keep doing what you are doing, your reminders make us better people!

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The Leftist press wants us to remember RADM Denton as a Red-baiting demagogue in the footsteps of Joseph McCarthy, but his statement of the early-1980s, "We [have] less national security than we had proportionately when George Washington's troops were walking around barefoot at Valley Forge." rings true today.

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My VMFA-314 CO in 1974 was LtCol Harlen (Harley) Chapman. 7yr. POW. Like RADM Denton, our Skipper was an outstanding leader. From then on, I've measured every leader/manager I have had over the years. VERY few measured up.

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The link to Rich Lowry's article came back with an "Article Not Found". However I went to the National Review site and searched in Rich's archive and found it. Here's the link: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/jeremiah-denton-ages-rich-lowry/

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author

I'll update the link.

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all gave some some gave all

Capt Denton gave more than his share.

WRT to torture, I'm a firm believer that eventually everybody talks. Denton appears to prove me wrong.

What a Mensch!

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I believe everyone does. As their time as prisoners become longer, I think the senior guys like Denton established a somewhat modified code of conduct, in essence "bear what you can, and if feasible, speak nonsense that seems valid." After years, it's not like they had tactical or even real strategic knowledge, although real names of people and relatives, or aircraft technical characteristics, were still of use to an enemy.

Overall I've always been proud of how many of them demonstrated exceptional character under those circumstances.

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“Mensch” is too weak. We can all aspire to be a mensch. Few can even hope be a Denton.

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A real life Private of the Buffs

"LAST night, among his fellow roughs,

He jested, quaff'd, and swore;

A drunken private of the Buffs,

Who never look'd before.

To-day, beneath the foeman's frown,

He stands in Elgin's place,

Ambassador from Britain's crown

And type of all her race.

Poor, reckless, rude, low-born, untaught,

Bewilder'd, and alone,

A heart with English instinct fraught

He yet can call his own.

Aye, tear his body limb from limb,

Bring cord, or axe, or flame:

He only knows, that not through him

Shall England come to shame.

Far Kentish hop-fields round him seem'd,

Like dreams, to come and go;

Bright leagues of cherry-blossom gleam'd,

One sheet of living snow;

The smoke above his father's door

In grey soft eddyings hung:

Must he then watch it rise no more,

Doom'd by himself, so young?

Yes, honour calls! — with strength like steel

He puts the vision by.

Let dusky Indians whine and kneel;

An English lad must die.

And thus, with eyes that would not shrink,

With knee to man unbent,

Unfaltering on its dreadful brink,

To his red grave he went.

Vain, mightiest fleets of iron framed;

Vain, those all-shattering guns;

Unless proud England keep, untamed,

The strong heart of her sons.

So, let his name through Europe ring—

A man of mean estate,

Who died, as firm as Sparta's king,

Because his soul was great."

~ Francis Hastings Charles Doyle

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Another man that in aggregate was greater than himself alone.

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Denton is still an inspiration to young student naval aviators. The National Naval Aviation Museum teaches a 2.0 hour history course to Navy and Marine student aviators. RADM Denton’s “fruit salad” including his Navy Cross are a few of the Artifacts the museum shows to the SNA’s while discussing Denton’s actions in Hanoi. Truly a hero.

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As NavSea flag aide in the 80's I accompanied the good Admiral to the Hill for HASC/SASC/Budget meetings/briefings and was fortunate to get him to autograph his book. I was fortunate a second time in that both my son-in-laws read the book and had their eyes truly opened.

A top FBF in the Pantheon Of Heroes.

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I think he and Admiral Stockdale both gave Forrestal lectures at the trade school over in Halsey Field House; could have been the same event. It was an honor to be able to listen to them and share in their wisdom. I remember reading Stockdale's In Love and War which was also excellent; I think I'll add Adm. Denton's book to the "this year" list.

Whenever I'm having a sh$tty day (or week, or month, or year) I try to remind myself of the conduct of these men in truly some of the most horrific, and at the time seemingly hopeless, conditions men have endured.

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And now we're friends. We trade with the country and communists that tortured him.

I never forget or forgive.

A Vietnam vet

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When Hell Was In Session. Mom made me read it when I was a kid.

Look up the Alcatraz Gang and the Peace Committee. Similarities to the split so noticeable today.

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I'm old enough to remember him representing my state in the US Senate.

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Our “leaders” have done a poor job over the years in keeping faith with him and others like him. He deserves better. We all do.

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