James Joseph Montano

Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

March 4, 1946–
May 30, 2026

By Debra Holm

Colonel James Joseph Montano, United States Army (Retired), passed away on May 30, 2026, at his home in Millsboro, Delaware, following a long battle with cancer. He was 80 years old.

Jim Montano was a California native, born on March 4, 1946, in Monterey Park, California. Jim, possessing athletic talent that stood out early, competed in football, baseball, and rugby while attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The tough training shaped him, and persistence grew alongside his innate ability, along with the fire to push forward, characteristics that stayed with him well beyond his college years.
After finishing school, he began an Army career that lasted 26 years, retiring as a Colonel. In Vietnam, he led L Company Rangers, 75th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, through some of the war’s most dangerous long-range reconnaissance missions, earning the Combat Infantryman Badge, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for Valor, and the Purple Heart. His courage and leadership left a lasting impression on the men he commanded.

His legacy continued beyond Vietnam. Colonel Montano became a founding “plank holder” of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at its 1974 activation. He helped set the standard for excellence, along with loyalty among soldiers and the mindset expected of Rangers now. That mark remains.

James Montano as pictured in the 1st Battalion (Ranger) 75th Infantry album,

2 November 1974–1 February 1976

Throughout his career, Colonel Montano was a living example of the leadership principles embodied in the Ranger Creed. He earned the Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Jungle Warfare Badge, reflecting a career dedicated to excellence and service. He later served as G-3 of the XVIII Airborne Corps during Operation Desert Storm, continuing a record of leadership that spanned more than two decades of calm and conflict.

Long after he left the army, soldiers who fought beside him still spoke of him with admiration. Chapter 78 member Richard Negrete, who served under Colonel Montano, remembered him as a commander who earned deep and lasting respect from every Ranger who served under him. That sentiment was echoed by fellow Ranger Michael Monfrooe, who, in a 2018 tribute reprinted in full below, captured the bond that endured among the men who served with Colonel Montano.

Following his retirement from active duty, Colonel Montano stayed involved with the Army through work in the defense industry. He contributed to the development of advanced military technologies supporting America’s warfighters. Chapter 78 member Hammond Salley worked with Colonel Montano at Boeing for approximately six years on the Army’s Future Combat Systems program, then regarded as the Army’s most ambitious modernization effort since World War II.

Colonel Montano is survived by his wife, Jessica; his sons, Trevor (Regina) and Jason (Meghan); his sister, Lydia Medina; grandchildren Charlotte, Mason, Winter, Harper, and Rylee; and his former wife and dear friend, Debra Montano.

Colonel Montano’s legacy lives on in the Rangers and soldiers he led and the example he set through a lifetime of service. He served his country with distinction, upheld the highest traditions of the Ranger Regiment and the United States Army, and earned the enduring respect of all who had the privilege to serve alongside him. Many will miss him, and his memory will live on.

A Tribute from One of His Rangers

The respect and admiration Colonel James “Jim” Montano earned from the Rangers he led endured long after his military service ended. In 2018, a fellow Ranger, who served with L Company, 75th Rangers, composed the following tribute to honor a leader whose influence remained strong decades after Vietnam and the formation of the modern Ranger Regiment.

Originally published in the 75th Ranger Regiment Association’s Patrolling magazine (Summer 2018, Volume 30, Issue III), it is reprinted with permission.

A True Warrior
Col. James J. Montano USA Ret.

He recruited many a troop, myself among others.
Even today, years past, we are all still brothers.
As a Pit. Ldr. & Co. Cdr. in the Nam, he had men fall,
not ever forgetting, shed a tear … seeing their names on the Wall.

1st Bn 75th Rangers formed, one of the first to volunteer.
Helped lay the groundwork for the Regiment, a history revered.
For over 25 years, he has led men in peace and war,
when they exceeded the norm, he pushed them even more.

Grunts have terms of endearment, Old Man, 06 and Hard Core.
In the Nam, he was Mountain Man and all the above and more.
Always striving to be his best,
evident to all by the badges & medals, worn proudly on his chest.

“The Ranger Hall of Fame,” where legacies are preserved,
his service warrants induction, an honor well deserved.
To list all his accomplishments in verse, difficult to say.
Our history says it best, “He Led the Way.”

By Michael D. Monfrooe USA Ret
“E” Co. RECON 3/506th–“L” Co. 75th Rangers
July 14, 2018

Editor’s Note: Colonel Montano was considered a friend by members of SFA Chapter 78, having attended some of our monthly meetings before he moved to Delaware, and he served alongside several chapter members during his distinguished military and civilian careers. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of serving with him.

About the Author:

Debra Holm has served as the art director/graphic designer of Chapter 78’s Sentinel since February 2012, and is also Chapter 78’s webmaster and social media manager.