Jimmie W. Monteith
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Lieutenant Jimmie W. Monteith of the U.S. Army was a member of the 1st Division (The Big Red One) that fought in Algeria and Italy before transferring to England to prepare for D-Day. During the assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy, his unit was left open when the accompanying tanks became bogged in sand and sea water. Monteith led his 51 men into the water to storm the beach, but half were shot or drowned before reaching the shore. Pinned down by Erwin Rommel’s forces, Monteith ran to each of the survivors' hiding places under fire to rally the troops. He led an assault over open terrain, leading tanks (that were able to land after the tide came in) through a minefield on foot, eventually capturing an advantageous hill. Monteith’s unit continued ahead until they were completely surrounded by the enemy. There, Monteith was shot and killed. He was one month shy of his 27th birthday. Monteith received a posthumous Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. The U.S. military base Camp Monteith in Kosovo was named in his honor, and Monteith Hall at Virginia Tech (which he was attending when drafted in 1941) was built in 1949. Other edifices and streets were also named after the D-Day hero.