Jimmie W. Monteith

Jimmie Watters Monteith Jr. (July 1, 1917 – June 6, 1944) was a

He is buried at the American cemetery in Normandy, Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie, France. His grave can be found in section I, row 20, grave 12.

Military awards and other honors

First Lieutenant Monteith's awards include :

Medal of Honor citation

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 20 (March 29, 1945)

"The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, while serving with 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action near Colleville-sur-Mer, France. First Lieutenant Monteith landed with the initial assault waves on the coast of France under heavy enemy fire. Without regard to his own personal safety he continually moved up and down the beach reorganizing men for further assault. He then led the assault over a narrow protective ledge and across the flat, exposed terrain to the comparative safety of a cliff. Retracing his steps across the field to the beach, he moved over to where two tanks were buttoned up and blind under violent enemy artillery and machinegun fire. Completely exposed to the intense fire, First Lieutenant Monteith led the tanks on foot through a minefield and into firing positions. Under his direction several enemy positions were destroyed. He then rejoined his company and under his leadership his men captured an advantageous position on the hill. Supervising the defense of his newly won position against repeated vicious counterattacks, he continued to ignore his own personal safety, repeatedly crossing the 200 or 300 yards of open terrain under heavy fire to strengthen links in his defensive chain. When the enemy succeeded in completely surrounding First Lieutenant Monteith and his unit and while leading the fight out of the situation, First Lieutenant Monteith was killed by enemy fire. The courage, gallantry, and intrepid leadership displayed by First Lieutenant Monteith is worthy of emulation.

/S/ Franklin D. Roosevelt"^{[1] [2]}

Posthumous honors

• Gnjilane, Kosovo
  .
• Monteith Hall at
  Virginia Tech
  , built in 1949 and named after alumnus First Lieutenant Jimmie W. Monteith Jr.
• Jimmie W. Monteith Jr. Amphitheater, Fort McClellan, Alabama
• Jimmie W. Monteith Jr. Barracks, Furth, Germany
• Jimmie W. Monteith Jr. Army Reserve Center, McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital
• Monteith Street, Fort Rucker, Alabama
• Jimmie W. Monteith Memorial Bridge, at the Low Moor exit of I-64 in Alleghany County, Virginia
• 1LT Jimmie Monteith United States Army Reserve Center, Richmond, Virginia

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Army.

• "Jimmie Monteith: An American hero" by Clara B. Cox, Virginia Tech Magazine, vol. 31, no. 4, summer 2009, online at www.vtmagazine.vt.edu/sum09/retrospect.html
• Since he is a "Junior," Monteith's middle name came from his father's middle name, which came from Jimmie Jr.'s great grandmother's maiden name: "Watters." Her name was Eliza V. Watters (1838–1919) before she married his great grandfather, William Manson Monteith (1822-1874).
• Jimmie Watters Monteith Jr. Collection, Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech
• Jimmie Watters Monteith Jr. memorabilia, Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Museum, Rasche Hall, Virginia Tech
• Balkoski, Joseph, Omaha Beach: D-Day, June 6, 1944, Stackpole Books, March 2004. (
  ISBN 0-8117-0079-8
  )

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jimmie W. Monteith Jr..

• Medal of Honor Recipient Jimmie W. Monteith Jr., Home of Heroes profile
• 1Lt Jimmie W. Monteith Jr., Medal of Honor citation, Army Museum, OCS Foundation
• Medal of Honor Recipients at Va Tech