Mccollum, Rylee James

Rylee James McCollum was a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, based at Camp Pendleton, California. He was from Jackson, Wyoming, and was 20 years old at the time of his death.

On August 26, 2021, McCollum was among the U.S. service members providing security at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the gate, killing 13 U.S. service personnel and at least 170 Afghan civilians. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State ? Khorasan Province (ISIS-K).

The attack occurred during the final days of the U.S.-led evacuation from Afghanistan, following the Taliban's takeover of the country. McCollum's death was part of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom and concluded with the withdrawal in August 2021.

McCollum's death was widely reported, and his family in Wyoming received condolences from state officials and members of Congress. His sister was expecting a child at the time, and McCollum had reportedly been excited to become an uncle.

McCollum was posthumously promoted to the rank of corporal. A memorial service was held in his hometown of Jackson, and a GoFundMe campaign established for his family raised significant funds, reflecting a community and national response to his death.

Rylee McCollum was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (2015?2021). The conflict concluded in August 2021 with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.

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