For the last two years of our son’s appointment at the Air Force Academy, he resided in Sijan Hall, named for USAFA graduate Lance Sijan (‘65). This inspired me to learn how Sijan became the exemplar for this Academy building.

Lance Sijan was from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the oldest of three children of Serbian immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking refuge during World War I. He was driven to serve the country that had given his family shelter. After graduating high school, he was admitted to the Naval Academy Preparatory School. The service academies have prep schools where students who missed appointments during their senior year can take another year of classes to be considered in the next cycle of appointments.

After graduating from the NAPC, Sijan qualified for appointment to the Air Force Academy. He graduated from the USAFA in 1965 and, upon completing his fighter pilot training, was assigned to the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing, stationed at Da Nang Air Base in South Vietnam. He flew missions as an F-4 Phantom pilot and weapons systems officer.

On his 67th combat mission, November 9, 1967, then 1st Lt Sijan and his F-4C pilot, Lt Col John Armstrong, were hitting targets along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, a major resupply line for the North Vietnamese Army. As they made their second low target pass, they were hit by anti-aircraft fire, causing an onboard explosion. Armstrong took their Phantom to about 10,000 feet before it lost all flight controls, rolled back toward the ground, and ultimately crashed in the dense jungle. At the time, no parachutes were observed, and no emergency beacons were detected.

However, early in the morning two days later, voice contact was established with 25-year-old Sijan by a pilot flying over the crash site. After confirming contact, the Air Force launched a massive search and rescue effort to find Sijan.

Subsequently, more than 20 aircraft were damaged by enemy fire during that effort, including an A-1H Skyraider that was shot down. Fortunately, the A-1H pilot was rescued by SAR aircraft in the area. At dusk on November 10th, a CH-3 Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopter was able to drop a jungle penetrator cable near where they believed Sijan to be. Despite his severe injuries after his low-level ejection, including a compound fracture of his left leg and skull fracture, Sijan refused the assistance of any Para-Jumpers being lowered because of the danger. After more than 30 minutes on station near where they estimated Sijan’s location, the CH-3 SAR helicopter was ordered to pull back to avoid the risk of being shot down.

The SAR attempt would resume the next morning, but there was no further radio contact with Sijan. Both he and Armstrong were then listed as missing in action. Though Sijan had no contact with Armstrong after the ejection, there were varying reports later that he might have survived, but none of those reports could be authenticated. He became one of more than 600 Americans MIA in Laos.

Despite his severe injuries and with little food and water, Sijan successfully evaded capture for 46 days until Christmas Day, when North Vietnamese soldiers found him unconscious near the Ho Chi Minh Trail, about three miles from where he had been shot down. He was initially placed into a nearby POW holding camp and, despite his condition, managed to disable one of his guards and crawl back into the jungle. He was captured again several hours later and beaten as a result.

Sijan was then transported to another POW holding camp where he was cared for by two USAF prisoners, Maj Robert Craner and Capt Guy Gruters. They would later confirm he had been severely tortured by his captors and that he had revealed no information other than his name, date of birth, service, rank, and service number in accordance with the Geneva Convention. The three POWs were then transported to the infamous Hoa Lo prison (a.k.a. “Hanoi Hilton”), where Sijan told his fellow POWs details of his ejection and evasion and even enlisted their support to escape again, despite his severely disabled condition.

Lest anyone ever forget, Hoa Lo prison was the location of “Hanoi Jane” Fonda’s anti-war propaganda photo op, laughing as she posed on an NVA anti-aircraft gun just a few yards away from where American POWs were being tortured. That would include three personal friends who were held at Hoa Lo: Medal of Honor recipient Col Leo Thorsness, Col Roger Ingvalson, and Lt Col Bill Gauntt. Each of these men were mild-tempered unless there was mention of Fonda’s name.

On January 22, 1968, eight days after reaching Hanoi but receiving no medical assistance, Lance Sijan died. He was one of 65 POWs known to have died in captivity during the Vietnam War. Lt Sijan was posthumously promoted to Captain in 1968, and his remains were positively identified and repatriated in March 1974.

In 1976, after full details of his actions were verified, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valiant effort to evade his captors despite his injuries, and moreover for his fierce resistance and refusal to release information that would compromise the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron’s mission and operations — despite being subject to severe torture. On March 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford presented his parents, Sylvester and Jane Sijan, with his Medal of Honor.

Sijan’s Medal citation concludes, “Capt. Sijan’s extraordinary heroism and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the cost of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Indeed.

Lance Sijan was the first and only Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Sijan Hall was dedicated in his honor on Memorial Day 1976.

His legacy is that of an American Patriot with unbroken will.

Capt Lance Sijan: Your example of valor — a humble American Patriot defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty and in disregard for the peril to your own life — is eternal.

“Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Live your life worthy of his sacrifice.

(Read more Profiles of Valor here.)

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776

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