Lance Sijan

Lance Peter Sijan
Lance P. Sijan, Medal of Honor recipient
Born	(1942-04-13)April 13, 1942 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	January 22, 1968(1968-01-22) (aged 25) Hoa Lo, North Vietnam
Place of burial	Arlington Park Cemetery Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1965–1968
Rank	Captain (posthumous)
Unit	480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing
Battles/wars	Vietnam War †
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart Prisoner of War Medal

Lance Peter Sijan (Serbian Cyrillic: Лазар Шијан; April 13, 1942 – January 22, 1968) was a United States Air Force officer and fighter pilot. On March 4, 1976, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military award, for his selflessness and courage in the face of lethal danger.

Lance Sijan was born to Sylvester and Jane Sijan on April 13, 1942, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father, who owned a restaurant, was of Serbian ancestry, his ancestors emigrated from Serbia during World War I; his mother was an Irish-American. Lance was the eldest of three children. Sijan graduated from Bay View High School in 1960. Immediately after his graduation he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School at the United States Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland. After completion of the program, he gained an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado. He played on the academy's football team for three years, but quit the team in his final year to concentrate on his studies. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Humanities in 1965, he was awarded a second lieutenant's commission and began an Undergraduate Pilot Training. After its completion, he was assigned to the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing, stationed at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. He flew as a pilot and systems officer in an F-4 Phantom.