Colonel Travis Cole Marcum
November 15, 2024
Colonel Travis Marcum joined the Kentucky Colonels on July 29th, 2024, when he was awarded his commission for his heroic actions in military service. Colonel Marcum served as a Corporal and the gunner on an M1A1 Abrams tank during his military service with the United States Marine Corps in Iraq. The tank was part of Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) and was hit by an improvised explosive device near Fallujah, Iraq, on August 3, 2006, while on patrol. This attack mortally wounded its commander, Sergeant George Ulloa.Â
Colonel Marcum and two other crew members survived the incident. Colonel Marcum led the evacuation of the wounded Marine and guided the damaged tank back to friendly lines over 13 kilometers away. Because of his actions that day, Colonel Marcum was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat distinguishing device on January 10, 2007. The American Heritage Museum in Massachusetts displays the tank on loan from the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps, and it includes an interview with Colonel Marcum and his fellow surviving crew members, providing insights into their experiences. It is the only modern M1A1 on public display in the world.
Colonel Marcum grew up in Pilgrim, Kentucky, where he graduated from Sheldon Clark High School in 2000. Outside of his military achievements, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville and his Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, where he currently resides. Colonel Marcum is a licensed attorney in Illinois. He is an avid traveler, having been to over 50 countries, all 7 continents, and even briefly living in Portugal in 2021.
Thank you, Colonel Marcum, for your service and heroic efforts. Visit our website to share your story with the Kentucky Colonels by filling out the Achievements form located under the Members page.
