McCollum was 21 when he swam ashore on Normandy's Omaha Beach.
"Normandy was quite sad. Despite the loss of Allied soldiers, the battle became known as World War II's greatest military operation.
"We started a battle that defeated Hitler's forces. We can go to church, work, school, and live our lives."
The Nazis seemed to be an invincible force at the start of World War II.
"The German people are good folks," McCollum said. McCollum was 6 during the stock market crash of 1929. McCollum attended the University of Tennessee Martin (formerly UTJC), graduated with a bachelor of sciences degree in agriculture from UT Knoxville and attended Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) for his master's degree in education. McCollum's wife, Alene, was a teacher who taught at Malesus for 19 years. They had two children, Tony McCollum and Jill Gallemore. McCollum also has five granddaughters and two great-grandsons.
He has held programs on World War II to educate children and adults at the Bemis Historical Society and Malesus Civic Club.
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67th anniversary of D-Day.WW II : RARE COLOR FILM : D-DAY : JUNE 5TH 1944