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One of the most notable is the story of Air Force Lt. Lance Sijan, who was shot down, captured and ultimately awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions as a POW. After being shot down over Laos in November 1967, Lt. Sijan evaded the enemy for 46 days, despite a broken leg and other injuries.
Jul 1, 2004 · Lance Sijan is the only Air Force Academy graduate thus far to receive the Medal of Honor, and he is remembered there with special honor. The academy library displays a collection of Sijan memorabilia, including the headstone from Vietnam.
Jun 15, 2014 · Lance Sijan | Photo credit DOD. When his ordeal began, Sijan was serving as GIB—guy in back, or in the rear cockpit—on a bombing mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail with squadron commander Lieutenant Colonel John W. Armstrong, a 41-year-old Texan. This was on the night of November 9, 1967, and it was Sijan’s 52nd combat mission.
Jan 22, 2018 · U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent. Fifty years ago today, Lance P. Sijan ( USAFA Class of 1965) died as a prisoner of war at the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.”. As we remember him today, I want each of us to reflect on what his contributions and legacy mean to our service and our Academy.
In the backseat was 25-year-old Capt. Lance Sijan, flying his 53rd combat mission. Armstrong pickled his six bombs at 8:39 p.m. Almost immediately, the aircraft was engulfed in a ball of fire as the bombs detonated a few feet below the F-4. Neither the FAC controlling the mission nor Armstrong’s wingman saw chutes. But there was one chute.
About. Captain Lance P. Sijan was the first and only Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously, in 1976. Lance received the military’s highest honor for his extraordinary courage, service and sacrifice as a Prisoner of War in Vietnam.
Died: January 22, 1968, Hanoi Hanoi (Hoa Lo Prison), Vietnam. Buried: Arlington Park Cemetery (MH) (26-68-7), Milwaukee, WI, United States. Photo Gallery. U.S. Air Force Captain Lance Peter Sijan was posthumously presented the Medal of Honor for military valor during the Vietnam War.
