| Jimmie Waters Monteith, Jr. | |
|---|---|
Jimmie W. Monteith Jr., circa 1944 |
|
| Nickname | Punk |
| Born | July 1, 1917 Low Moor, Virginia |
| Died | June 6, 1944 (aged 26) KIA in Normandy, France |
| Place of burial | Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie, France |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1941 - 1944 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | Company L, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Jimmie Waters Monteith, Jr. (July 1, 1917 – June 6, 1944) was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in World War II at the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
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Jimmie Waters Monteith Jr. was born on July 1, 1917 in Low Moor, Virginia. His family moved to Richmond, Virginia, when he was nine years old. After elementary school, he attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he played a year each of varsity football and varsity basketball. Known in high school as "Punk," he graduated in 1937. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI) for two years, 1937–1939, majoring in mechanical engineering. While at VPI, he was a member of K Battery in the corps of cadets and the Richmond Sectional Club. He returned to Richmond at the end of his sophomore year and worked as a field representative for the Cabell Coal Company, where his father was vice president. He was drafted into the army in October 1941 and sent to Camp Croft, South Carolina, for basic training.
During basic training, he was promoted to corporal and applied for officer training. He was accepted and sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, completing the course in March 1942, when he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. He was then transferred to Fort McClellan, Alabama, where he helped train the 15th Battalion. In February 1943, he was transferred into the 30th Division at Camp Blanding, Florida, to begin training in preparation for being shipped overseas to fight in the war.
In April 1943 he was shipped to Algeria, where he joined the 1st Division (Big Red One). The division moved to Sicily in July 1943, and he received a field promotion to 1st lieutenant during the campaign. The division moved to England in November 1943 to prepare for the Normandy invasion.
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.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Colleville-sur-Mer, France, June 6, 1944.
Citation:
Camp Monteith is a U.S. military base named in honor of Jimmie Monteith, located in Gnjilane, Kosovo.
Monteith Hall at Virginia Tech was 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
The bridge at the Low Moor exit of I-64 in Alleghany County, VA is named Jimmie W. Monteith Memorial Bridge.