On 8 July 1969, Major James Elmo Sizemore was a pilot serving with the 609th Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing, 7th Air Force in Nakon Phanom, Thailand.

On that day, Maj Sizemore and his navigator, Maj Howard Vincent Andre, Jr., comprised an A26 team assigned a mission over the Plain of Jars region of Xiangkhoang Province, Laos. When the aircraft was about 12 miles south of the city of Ban Na Mai, it was downed by hostile fire. A ground team subsequently furnished unspecified information that Sizemore and Andre could not have survived. Both were classified Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Their crash site was located and excavated in 2012 and their remains were recovered and positively identified in 2013.

Badge and Medals

Air Force Pilot Badge
Purple Heart
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal

Honors

The name James E Sizemore is located on Panel 21W Line 086 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

On 23 September 2013, Major James Elmo Sizemore and Major Howard Vincent Andre, Jr. were laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery just the way they flew in life: side by side.