Luther Hollums was born in Florida in 1941. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on August 6, 1959, and completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, in September 1959. Amn Hollums attended Airborne Radio Operator training at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, from September 1959 to March 1960, and then served as an Airborne Radio Operator with the 6313th Operations Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from March to November 1960. His next assignment was as a WB-50D Superfortress Airborne Radio Operator with the 56th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota AB, Japan, from November 1960 to April 1964, followed by service as an EC-121D Warning Star Airborne Radio Operator with the 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron at McCoy AFB, Florida, from April 1964 to June 1966. Sgt Hollums served as an Airborne Radio Operator with Detachment 30 of the U.S. Logistics Group, Turkey, in Ankara, Turkey, from June 1966 to August 1968, and then as an EC-121D Airborne Radio Operator with the 961st Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron at Otis AFB, Massachusetts, from August 1968 to May 1970. His next assignment was as an HC-130P Hercules Airborne Radio Operator with the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Tuy Hoa AB and then Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, from May 1970 to May 1971. During this time, Sgt Hollums served as Radio Operator aboard the HC-130P "Lime Two" during the Son Tay Raid, a clandestine mission to rescue American Prisoners of War held in North Vietnam on November 21, 1970. Sgt Hollums served as an HC-130P Airborne Radio Operator with the 54th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Pease AFB, New Hampshire, from May 1971 to October 1972, and then as a VC-135 and VC-137 Airborne Radio Operator and Special Missions Communications Electronics Systems Operations Superintendent with the 98th Military Airlift Squadron, and then the 1st Airlift Squadron, of the 89th Military Airlift Group at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from October 1972 until his retirement from the Air Force on October 1, 1979.

His Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

Staff Sergeant Luther F. Hollums, Jr., distinguished himself by extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Radio Operator aboard an HC-130P aircraft over hostile territory in Southeast Asia on 1 July 1970. On that date, Sergeant Hollums played a vital role in the successful recovery of a downed aircrew member through his skill in maintaining communications with the aircraft and ground stations concerned, and his unerring ability to keep abreast of the complicated and rapidly changing situation. Because of his actions in this mission, a crew member was saved from certain capture and possible death at the hands of hostile forces. The professional competence, aerial skill and devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Hollums reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.