Sergeant Exum (that Air Force rank is now Senior Airman) was a member of the 8th Motor Vehicle Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Wing. On 26 December 1951, he was riding on the road from Chochon-ri to Mason-ri, South Korea when he received multiple fatal wounds.

Exum was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.