World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on March 29, 1945 for his actions as a 1st lieutenant assigned to Company L, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, US Army, on June 6, 1944, during the Allied D-Day Invasion, near Colieville-sur-mer, Normandy, France. Following high school, he studied mechanical engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University at Blacksburg, Virginia. In October 1941 he was drafted into the US Army and during basic training, he was promoted to the rank of corporal and applied for officer training. He was accepted and sent to Fort Benning, Georgia and in March 1942 he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant. In April 1943 he was sent to Algeria, where he joined the 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One). The division moved to Sicily in July 1943, and he received a field promotion to the rank of 1st lieutenant during the campaign. In November of that year, his division moved to England to prepare for the Normandy invasion of France and It was during the D-Day invasion that he was killed at the age of 26. He was also awarded the Purple Heart. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "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."