[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 407 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 407
Honoring former Senator and Rear Admiral Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 31, 2014
Mr. Sessions (for himself, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Reid, Mr. McConnell, Mr.
Alexander, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Begich, Mr.
Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Boxer,
Mr. Brown, Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey,
Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Coats, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cochran, Ms. Collins, Mr.
Coons, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Donnelly, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Flake, Mr. Franken,
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Harkin, Mr.
Hatch, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Heller, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven,
Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr.
Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Klobuchar,
Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lee, Mr. Levin, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey,
Mr. McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Mikulski,
Mr. Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson, Mr.
Paul, Mr. Portman, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr.
Rockefeller, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schumer, Mr.
Scott, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Toomey,
Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Walsh,
Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden)
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Honoring former Senator and Rear Admiral Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr.
Whereas Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr. (referred to in this preamble as ``Senator
Denton'') was born in Mobile, Alabama, on July 15, 1924, and graduated
from the United States Naval Academy in 1946;
Whereas Senator Denton married Kathryn Jane Maury in 1946 and had 7 children
with her before she passed away in 2007;
Whereas Senator Denton is survived by his second wife, Mary Belle Bordone, and
his children, Jeremiah A. Denton III, William C. Denton, Donald A.
Denton, James S. Denton, Michael C. Denton, Madeleine D. Doak, and Mary
D. Lewis;
Whereas Senator Denton had a distinguished military career as a Naval Aviator--
(1) receiving credit in 1957 as the architect of the ``Haystack
Concept'', which revolutionized the way in which the Navy deployed ships to
ensure that a single Russian nuclear attack could not destroy an entire
fleet;
(2) serving in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War;
(3) providing significant support during the Cuban Missile Crisis as
the Commander of the Guantanamo Defense Force;
(4) receiving awards that include the Navy Cross, the Defense
Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, 3 Silver
Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, 5 Bronze Stars, 2 Air Medals, 2
Purple Hearts, and numerous combat theater and campaign awards;
(5) retiring in 1977 at the rank of Rear Admiral after serving as
Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College; and
(6) being inducted into the Alabama Military Hall of Honor in 2003;
Whereas Senator Denton was shot down on July 18, 1965, while leading a squadron
of 28 A-6 Intruders on his twelfth mission over North Vietnam and spent
the next 7 years and 7 months as a prisoner of war in North Vietnamese
prison camps, including the ``Hanoi Hilton'', where he suffered torture,
beatings, and starvation, and spent 4 years in solitary confinement
until his release in 1973;
Whereas despite extreme hardship, Senator Denton was revered by his fellow
prisoners and maintained a chain of command that lasted throughout his
imprisonment and helped prisoners of war stick together in resistance
against abuse from their captors;
Whereas in a televised propaganda interview released by the North Vietnamese in
1966, Senator Denton became a national hero when he answered the
questions of his interviewer and simultaneously blinked the letters ``T-
O-R-T-U-R-E'' in Morse code, confirming to the world the harsh and
inhumane treatment of United States prisoners of war by the North
Vietnamese;
Whereas after returning to the United States, Senator Denton had a successful
legislative career, becoming in 1980 the first Republican elected to the
Senate from Alabama since the Reconstruction Era, maintaining a strong
conservative record, and working tirelessly with President Ronald Reagan
to combat the rise of Communism in Latin America;
Whereas Senator Denton was particularly proud of the ``Denton Program'',
authorizing the United States military to carry humanitarian aid on a
space-available basis to countries in need at no cost to the donor and
providing humanitarian aid for almost 30 years;
Whereas in 2007, the National Archives designated Senator Denton as 1 of the 25
most influential men in United States history; and
Whereas the life of service of Senator Denton should serve as an example to all
people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the Senate--
(A) has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret
the announcement of the death of the Honorable Jeremiah
Andrew Denton, Jr., former member of the Senate;
(B) honors the legacy and service of the former
Senator and retired Rear Admiral, Jeremiah Andrew
Denton Jr. (referred to in this resolution as ``Senator
Denton''), for his life of loyalty, duty, integrity,
and moral sincerity;
(C) extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to
the family and friends of Senator Denton who have lost
an inspiring leader and confidant;
(D) honors the dauntless valor of Senator Denton,
beloved son of Alabama, for his dedication and life of
selfless service to the people of the United States;
(E) recognizes that Senator Denton was a champion
for humanitarian aid and international assistance
programs through his legislative work and initiatives;
(F) reiterates the resolute character of Senator
Denton as a paragon of bravery who lived a life of
honor guided by his values and commitment to the
defense of the United States;
(G) expresses admiration and profound respect for
the legacy of Senator Denton as a truly courageous and
inspirational leader; and
(H) directs the Secretary of the Senate to
communicate this resolution to the House of
Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy thereof
to the family of the deceased; and
(2) when the Senate adjourns today, it will stand adjourned
as a further mark of respect for the memory of the Honorable
Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr.
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