Lance Peter Sijan (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.

His father, who owned a restaurant, was an ethnic Serb, whose parents emigrated from Serbia during World War I, while his mother was an Irish-American.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Humanities in 1965,[3] he was awarded a second lieutenant's commission and began Undergraduate Pilot Training.

64-0751) was engulfed in a ball of fire due to the bomb fuses malfunctioning and causing a premature detonation on their release.

However, early on the morning of 11 November, Sijan made radio contact with a Misty FAC F-100F aircraft that was flying over his crash site.

For the duration of that day, the USAF launched a massive effort to locate his position, and 'soften up' the numerous enemy air defences in his area.

During this entire period, Sijan was only able to move by sliding on his buttocks and back along the rocky limestone ridge and later along the jungle floor.

After managing to move several thousand feet, Sijan crawled onto a truck road along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, where he was finally captured by the North Vietnamese on Christmas Day, 1967.

Sijan was transported to a holding compound in Vinh, North Vietnam, where he was placed in the care of two other recently captured USAF POWs, Major Robert R. Craner and Captain Guy Gruters.

[6] Sijan's military decorations and awards include: The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

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.

The United States Air Force created the Lance P. Sijan Award, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in their jobs and in their lives.

An F-4 Phantom jet fighter on display in front of the 440th Tactical Airlift Wing at Milwaukee's Mitchell Airport is painted using the color scheme of the one he flew.