Des Moines in the Services
Pvt. Mildred Monteith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Monteith, 215 Racoon st., has completed an orientation course at an air service command station in England.
Source: DesMoines Tribune, July 5, 1944
Des Moines in the Services
Three Des Moines residents now in the service, have been awarded the Bronze Star in Europe They are:
[excerpt]
WAC Cpl. Mildred R. Monteith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Monteith, 215 Racoon st, in France.
Source: DesMoines Tribune, March 6, 1945 (photo included)
Obituary:
Mildred R. ”Millie” Monteith Rear was born Dec. 10, 1905 to Samuel Aaron and Julia Mary Hyser Monteith. She died Mar. 31, 2006 and is buried in Greenwood Memorial Park, San Diego, CA.
Sgt. Monteith served in World War II with the U.S. Army WACs, serving in England as secretary to Col. Campbell. She survived many bombings from the German “Buzz Bombs”. She was transferred to Paris and was on the Champs Elysees when the end of the war was announced. She extended her service another six months to help with the post war operations in Germany.
She received many honors—“Woman of the Year” (2001) WACVA, “Wall of Liberty" Battle of Normandy Foundation and the WIMSA Memorial at Arlington, VA.
She received the high honor of being awarded the Bronze Star. Her Bronze Star, military uniform and account of her war experiences were sent to Iowa to be put on display at the WAC Museum at Fort Des Moines, IA.
She married Palmer Rear in 1969.
Source: ancestry.com
