Okla-homey
11/9/2006, 08:47 AM
Nov 9, 1967 : Capt. Lance Sijan shot down over North Vietnam
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/9469/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiivo5.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Thirty-three years ago, while on a mission over Laos, Capt. Lance P. Sijan ejects from his disabled McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom jet near Vinh, North Vietnam. Despite suffering a skull fracture, a mangled right hand, and a compound fracture of the left leg during his ejection, Sijan successfully evaded capture in the Vietnamese jungle for more than six weeks.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4084/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiug5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
1963 USAFA team, Sijan is #82
Eventually Sijan's wounds became infected and lack of food and clean water overwhelmed him. Now suffering a raging fever, he simply collapsed along a road, where he was found by North Vietnamese troops.
After several days of captivity, Sijan gathered his strength and escaped. Still weakened and suffering from his injuries, Sijan was recaptured and tortured, and then transported to the infamous prison known as the Hanoi Hilton.
While there, he contracted pneumonia and died. Throughout his ordeal, Captain Sijan never gave up his desire to escape and resisted his captors to the very end.
http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/6698/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiys3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
When the American POWs were released in 1973, several of Sijan's fellow prisoners immediately initiated a recommendation for Sijan to receive the Medal of Honor. They did so primarily because Sijan would very likely have survived if he were not so dedicated to escape. Since the U.S. Code of Conduct states it is a captured servicemans ongoing duty to attempt escape; Sijan's conduct has been considered a textbook example of "never give up."
On March 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford presented the medal to Captain Sijan's father in a ceremony at the White House.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/6730/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikc6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/9469/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiivo5.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Thirty-three years ago, while on a mission over Laos, Capt. Lance P. Sijan ejects from his disabled McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom jet near Vinh, North Vietnam. Despite suffering a skull fracture, a mangled right hand, and a compound fracture of the left leg during his ejection, Sijan successfully evaded capture in the Vietnamese jungle for more than six weeks.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4084/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiug5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
1963 USAFA team, Sijan is #82
Eventually Sijan's wounds became infected and lack of food and clean water overwhelmed him. Now suffering a raging fever, he simply collapsed along a road, where he was found by North Vietnamese troops.
After several days of captivity, Sijan gathered his strength and escaped. Still weakened and suffering from his injuries, Sijan was recaptured and tortured, and then transported to the infamous prison known as the Hanoi Hilton.
While there, he contracted pneumonia and died. Throughout his ordeal, Captain Sijan never gave up his desire to escape and resisted his captors to the very end.
http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/6698/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiys3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
When the American POWs were released in 1973, several of Sijan's fellow prisoners immediately initiated a recommendation for Sijan to receive the Medal of Honor. They did so primarily because Sijan would very likely have survived if he were not so dedicated to escape. Since the U.S. Code of Conduct states it is a captured servicemans ongoing duty to attempt escape; Sijan's conduct has been considered a textbook example of "never give up."
On March 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford presented the medal to Captain Sijan's father in a ceremony at the White House.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/6730/iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikc6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)