The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF CORPORAL WILLIAM JAMES McCOLLUM
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HON. JEFF DUNCAN
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Friday, June 11, 2021
Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Corporal William James McCollum, who was killed in action during the Korean War on December 2, 1950.
Born in Anderson, South Carolina on June 19, 1931, Corporal McCollum was affectionately known by his friends and family as ``Billy.'' At the age of 17, he was inducted into the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC and subsequently to the battlegrounds when the Korean War began. After enduring repeated enemy attacks at the Chosin Reservoir, Corporal McCollum was declared missing in action on December 2, 1950. It was not until December 3, 1953, that Corporal McCollum was officially declared dead, still with no knowledge of the location of his body.
Following the summit between President Donald J. Trump and the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea Kim Jong-Un in July of 2018, an agreement was reached to return 55 boxes of remains to the USA. The remains were believed to be those of U.S. soldiers who had been killed at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950. Due to the tremendous leadership of President Donald J. Trump, the body of Corporal McCollum's body was accounted for on September 11, 2019. After 71 years, Corporal McCollum can return home and rest in his home city of Anderson. His funeral service, with military honors, will be held on June 19, 2021 at 1:00 pm at the M.J. Dolly Cooper Veterans Cemetery.
Reflecting on the life of Corporal McCollum, I am reminded strongly of the verse John 15:13: ``Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.'' From a young age, Corporal McCollum selflessly and nobly served his country. The United States is blessed to have the finest troops in the world, where so many heroes like Corporal McCollum are willing to put on our country's uniform in defense of our freedoms.
I am proud of the leadership demonstrated by President Donald J. Trump, and it brings me comfort knowing that families were able to be reunited with their loved ones after so many years, especially in the Third District of South Carolina. Corporal McCollum's funeral service will be held on the anniversary of his 90th birthday.
Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to be able to serve the Third District of South Carolina and to honor the lives of those lost in conflict, like Corporal McCollum. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 102
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