Private First Class Hellem was a member of the Support Company, 1st Service Battalion, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on 7 December 1950. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Hellem was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.