Medal of Honor: Lance P. Sijan – Vietnam War – November 9, 1967
Alone, wounded, and hunted in the jungles of North Vietnam, one American refused to yield. Captain Lance P. Sijan endured six weeks of agony, captivity, and torture — but never broke faith, never gave in, and never stopped believing in freedom.
November 7, 2025
Name: Lance Peter Sijan
Rank: Captain
Organization: U.S. Air Force
Unit: 4th Allied POW Wing, Pilot of an F-4C Phantom II
Place and Date: North Vietnam – 9 November 1967
Entered Service At: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Born: April 13, 1942 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Departed: Died of Wounds and Captivity – January 22, 1968
Accredited to: Wisconsin
Summary of Action
On the night of November 9, 1967, Captain Lance P. Sijan’s F-4C Phantom was struck by enemy fire during a mission over North Vietnam. Badly injured during ejection, he found himself alone in the jungle with a fractured leg, a mangled hand, and no means of rescue. For more than six weeks, Sijan evaded capture — crawling through the dense terrain, surviving on rainwater, and defying pain and hunger in a display of sheer willpower.
When he was finally captured, Sijan’s ordeal had only begun. Even in his emaciated and broken state, he attempted a daring escape, overpowering one of his guards and crawling toward freedom before being recaptured. Interrogated and tortured in captivity, he steadfastly refused to betray his comrades or provide any information to his captors.
Near death from exhaustion and infection, Sijan was eventually moved to the infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” where fellow prisoners later recalled his courage and resolve. Though delirious and dying, he continued to speak of escaping again — his mind unbroken even as his body failed.
Captain Lance P. Sijan’s sacrifice became a lasting symbol of the American fighting spirit: unwavering under torture, unyielding in captivity, and unbreakable in faith.
Medal of Honor Citation
Place and date: North Vietnam, 9 November 1967.
Entered service at: Milwaukee, Wis.
Born: 13 April 1942, Milwaukee, Wis.
Citation:
While on a flight over North Vietnam, Capt. Sijan ejected from his disabled aircraft and successfully evaded capture for more than 6 weeks. During this time, he was seriously injured and suffered from shock and extreme weight loss due to lack of food. After being captured by North Vietnamese soldiers, Capt. Sijan was taken to a holding point for subsequent transfer to a prisoner of war camp.
In his emaciated and crippled condition, he overpowered one of his guards and crawled into the jungle, only to be recaptured after several hours. He was then transferred to another prison camp where he was kept in solitary confinement and interrogated at length. During interrogation, he was severely tortured; however, he did not divulge any information to his captors.
Capt. Sijan lapsed into delirium and was placed in the care of another prisoner. During his intermittent periods of consciousness until his death, he never complained of his physical condition and, on several occasions, spoke of future escape attempts. 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.
