Jeremiah Denton - Post Captivity

Post Captivity

Denton was hospitalized briefly in the Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia, and then was assigned to the Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In January 1974, Denton became the commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College (now known as the Joint Forces Staff College). He stepped down as commandant in April 1975 and continued to work at the college until June 1977. He finished his service at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, and retired from the Navy on November 1, 1977 with the rank of Rear Admiral. He wrote his book in 1976, When Hell was in Session, detailing his detention as an American POW in North Vietnam. The book later turned into a movie of the same title which starred Hal Holbrook as Denton. He accepted a position with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) as a consultant to CBN founder and friend, Pat Robertson, from 1978 to 1980. During his time with CBN, both Denton and Robertson repeatedly expressed military support for the Contra forces in El Salvador. In 1981, he founded and chaired the National Forum Foundation.