Mccollum, Daniel Gardner
Male
Verified Captain Daniel Gardner McCollum, 28, of Columbia, South Carolina, was a U.S. Marine Corps officer serving with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352). He was killed in action on January 9, 2002, in Shamsi, Pakistan.
Their Story
Daniel Gardner McCollum was a 28-year-old captain in the United States Marine Corps. He served with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352), part of Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. His unit, known as the 'Raiders,' operated the KC-130 Hercules aircraft, specializing in aerial refueling and transport.
On January 9, 2002, McCollum was part of a Marine Corps KC-130 crew conducting a mission in Pakistan. The aircraft crashed near the remote Shamsi airfield in Balochistan province, reportedly during a landing attempt. All seven U.S. Marines aboard were killed. The Pentagon stated the crash was not due to hostile fire, attributing it to an accident.
McCollum's death occurred in the early phase of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The operation initially focused on dismantling al-Qaeda and removing the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Missions extended to other regions, including the Philippines and the Horn of Africa, and involved operations from bases in neighboring countries like Pakistan.
Following the crash, U.S. military recovery teams secured the site. The remains of the seven Marines were repatriated to the United States. Captain McCollum was posthumously awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart medal for his service.
Captain McCollum is memorialized on the South Carolina War Dog Memorial at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and on the Global War on Terrorism memorial at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. His name is also inscribed on the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame memorial wall, as his father was a state trooper.
Explore Further
Captain McCollum was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
