Famous Ex-Vietnam POW Jeremiah Denton Dies

An American hero of the Vietnam War died Friday. Jeremiah Denton was a rear admiral and Naval aviator in the U.S. Navy.

Denton alerted the world to the brutality of the North Vietnamese prison camps.

He was held captive more than eight years and endured harsh treatment, including forced starvation and physical torture.

Denton relied heavily on his Christian faith to survive and lead other prisoners through. His story was later depicted in the television movie, "When Hell Was in Session."

He's best known for telling the world of the terrible treatment in those prison camps by blinking the word "torture" in morse code in a North Vietnamese propaganda film.

In the end, Denton was in the first round of POW's released in February 1973.

"We are profoundly grateful to our commanding chief, and to our nation for this day. God Bless America," he famously said once he made it back to U.S. soil.

Denton went on to become a U.S. senator, representing Alabama.

He was also a supporter of CBN, and frequent guest on The 700 Club.

Jeremiah Denton was 89 years old.