Jimmie W. Monteith

Guiding tanks on foot, he opened a way off the deadly beach.

Jimmie Watters Monteith Jr. was born at Low Moor, Virginia, on 1 July 1917. His family later moved to Richmond, where he attended Thomas Jefferson High School. He entered Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1937, played football and served in its Corps of Cadets, but left before completing a degree.

He entered the United States Army in October 1941, trained at Camp Croft and completed officer training at Fort Benning. Assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa, he served with Company L of the 16th Infantry and fought in Sicily. He became a first lieutenant before the division moved to Britain to prepare for the invasion of France.

On 6 June 1944, Monteith landed with the assault waves at Omaha Beach. Under intense fire he moved among disorganised men, formed them into groups and led them across exposed ground towards shelter below the cliffs.

He then returned to the beach, reached two tanks whose crews could see little through the fighting, and guided them on foot through a minefield. Their fire helped destroy German positions. Rejoining his men, he helped capture higher ground and repeatedly crossed open terrain to strengthen the defence against counterattacks.

When his group was surrounded, Monteith led the effort to break out and was killed. His posthumous Medal of Honor recognised the leadership and repeated exposure to danger that helped carry the attack beyond the beach.

He was buried at Normandy American Cemetery. His mother received the medal in Richmond, and Virginia Tech later named a residence hall in his honour. The university preserves his letters and military memorabilia.