In 1966, US Navy Pilot Held Captive in Vietnam Kept Blinking in an Interview to Alert Intelligence About His Plight

War extracts a price from all involved parties. Very few people understand this better than Prisoners of War (POWs). U.S. Navy official Jeremiah Denton stirred many emotions when he narrated his harrowing tale of being a POW during the Vietnam War, according to CBS News. The story shows how, amidst grave stress, he did not backtrack from giving the right message to his country. 

Denton is best known for being part of a propaganda movie by the Vietnamese government in 1966. The movie's objective was to showcase that the American POWs were being treated very well in captivity. However, Denton, seeing this as an opportunity, managed to reveal the reality to the U.S. authorities. He supposedly blinked in Morse code during the interview. The Morse code translated to a simple seven-letter word- "T-O-R-T-U-R-E." This alerted U.S. authorities to the supposed lies they and the world were being told, and the conditions through which their people had to undergo in captivity. 

After the public revelation of Morse code usage, Denton received a lot of appreciation for his devotion, stated Alabama Public Radio. "The nation will never forget his courage when, having endured the brutal torture as a POW in Vietnam, he defied and outsmarted his captors and broadcast a Morse code message to the world. He was a man of grit and character that can't be manufactured. His word was his bond, and his loyalty was unshakeable," U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions shared.

Denton's interview in the film made the situation more difficult for him, as per his book When Hell Was in Session, according to CBS News. The torture increased, but not because of the Morse code, which he believes was not caught by Vietnamese authorities, until much later, after his freedom. His problems grew because in the interview, despite being surrounded by enemies, he proudly declared his loyalty towards the U.S. government. 

The authorities were possibly frustrated by the official's unabashed show of loyalty, stated ELON. "Whatever the position of my government is, I support it fully. Whatever the position of my government, I believe in it, yes, sir. I am a member of that government, and it is my job to support it, and I will as long as I live," Denton declared. The government appreciated his efforts, and he was promoted to the post of a Captain during captivity.

Denton remained in the custody of Vietnamese officials until 1973, stated CBS News. For seven-and-a-half years, he was kept in multiple camps, including the infamous Hanoi Hilton. As per his testimony, he was kept locked in a tiny, windowless cell giving off a horrible smell for a long time. Denton touched down at the Clark Air Base in the Philippines as a senior official among all the POWs. It was quickly evident that even years of torture have not been able to shake his patriotism. "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," Denton added.

In 1979, Denton shared in detail about the torture he and many of his colleagues suffered in Vietnam. He claimed that the officials used to beat him with fists and fan belts. It was apparently a way of 'warming' up their victims. The torture was leveled up with the use of the 'rope trick.' In this method, ropes were bound to prisoners so tightly that circulation was cut off. For Denton, the effect was so intense that he was left with no sensation in his fingertips and also got severe muscle spasms. The already difficult scenario became more painful after the interview, according to Denton. 

After freedom, Denton continued to enjoy an illustrious military career and was awarded the Navy Cross in 1974. He retired in November 1977 and later joined politics. The decorated official made history by becoming the first retired Navy admiral elected (Republican) to the Senate from Alabama. Denton died in 2014, at the age of 89.