Maurice Britt
Encyclopedia
Maurice Lee "Footsie" Britt, Jr. (June 29, 1919–November 26, 1995), was an American
professional football
player, World War II
hero received the Medal of Honor
, businessman, and Republican
politician from Arkansas
. He played for the Detroit Lions
and later served from 1967-1971 as the seventh Lieutenant Governor
of his home state during the administration of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller
. Rockefeller and Britt were the first Republicans to have served in their state's top two offices since Reconstruction.
to Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Britt, Sr., Britt was reared in nearby Lonoke
. He earned the nickname "Footsie" after winning a pair of shoes at a local fair as an adolescent. He was also known for his big feet. He graduated as the valedictorian
of Lonoke High School and then entered the University of Arkansas
at Fayetteville
, where he was supported by an athletic scholarship
in both football and basketball
. He earned an Army Reserve commission as a Second Lieutenant through Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
upon graduation. He received a bachelor of arts
degree in 1941 and played football with the Lions during the 1941 season. He is a member of the Sigma Chi
fraternity
.
, Britt entered the United States Army
as a second lieutenant at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, in the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) in the 30th Infantry Regiment. He received a partial deferment to entering active duty until after the 1941 football season. He initially joined the 3rd ID and participated in coastal defense on the west coast of the United States.
As a platoon leader, he led his men on the morning of November 8, 1942, under General George S. Patton, Jr., in invading the French North African beaches at Fedela. The U.S. 30th Infantry came on shore quickly secured the left flank of the division on November 8 and silenced Fort Blondin in the process which had been firing on the naval forces lying off the Moroccan coast. By November 11, the 30th and 3rd Infantry Divisions had secured Casablanca. Britt led his men through the subsequent combat and campaigns in North Africa. He is jokingly remembered for "chasing Rommel across all of north Africa".
He continued to serve as a platoon leader as part of the "Joss" force during Operation Husky, the amphibious invasion of Sicily. In Operation Husky, Britt led his platoon in numerous combat actions as the 3rd Infantry Division executed one of the longest foot marches in modern military history, from near Gela northward to Palermo. The regiment marched 54 miles in only 33 hours. Britt led his men through the combat and extensive marching from Palermo to Messina in Sicily.
In September 1943, Britt participated in Operation Avalanche, the amphibious landings in Salerno, Italy. This was his third amphibious assault of the war. By early October, the whole of southern Italy was in Allied hands, and the Allied armies faced the Volturno Line
, the first of a series of prepared defensive lines running across Italy from which the Germans chose to fight delaying actions, giving ground slowly and buying time to complete their preparation of the Winter Line, their strongest defensive line south of Rome. Britt led his men in the river crossing on the Volturno River. During this engagement, he earned the Silver Star and the first of three Purple Hearts.
In February 1944, Britt was fighting in Italy
. He was part of the initial invasion at Anzio
, where he won a battlefield promotion to captain. On October 10, 1943, he did calisthenics
to draw German fire at the battleground of Mignano, Italy, which his fellow soldiers referred to thereafter as "Britt's Junction". He managed to repel the Germans, but lost his right arm. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross
, the Silver Star
, the Bronze Star
, and the Purple Heart
. Britt was the first recipient of the top three combat decorations in a single war.
His Medal of Honor citation reads:
manufacturing company and then running the Beautyguard Manufacturing Company, a producer of aluminum building products.
In 1966, he was elected lieutenant governor. He was re-elected in 1968 but did not seek a third term in 1970, having deferred to his friend and Little Rock neighbor, Sterling R. Cockrill, a Democrat
turned Republican. Britt barely defeated the Democratic nominees, James H. Pilkinton of Hope
in 1966 and Bill Wells in 1968. He was an original Arkansas Republican, having been active in his state's Young Republicans in college. After leaving office, he was appointed by the Nixon administration as district director of the Small Business Administration
. He served in that capacity from 1971 to 1985.
In 1986, Britt came out of political retirement to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He polled only 3,116 votes (13.9 percent) to 13,831 ballots (61.9 percent) for former Governor Frank D. White
. A third candidate, Wayne Lanier, received 4,576 votes (20.5 percent) in a low-turnout primary. White was thereafter defeated in the general election
for a second time by future U.S. President Bill Clinton
.
Britt was a leader in civic affairs too. He was past state chairman of the Crippled Children's Hospital, Easter Seals
, and the Federal Executive Association. He was a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and received the National Collegiate Athletic Association
Sports Achievement Award.
. He was of two lieutenant governors in state history to lie in state in the State Capitol Rotunda, the other being Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, the son of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. The coffin
was open, and Britt's military coat hung from the back of his favorite rocking chair
, which was placed next to the body. His medals and a military cap were placed on a nearby table. An Army Sergeant stood at the head of the casket throughout the six hours that Britt lay in state.
Services were held in the Calvary Baptist
Church of Little Rock, where Britt was a member. Burial was in Little Rock National Cemetery
.
; two sons, Maurice Lee Britt, III (born ca. 1950), and his wife, Dee Britt, of Royal, Arkansas
, and Timothy Watson Britt (born ca. 1955) of Little Rock; one brother, B.A. Britt (born ca. 1925) of Carlisle; 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His obituary
does not mention his wife because she about the same time that he expired. Britt was a distant cousin of the late Henry M. Britt
of Hot Springs
, the 1960 Republican gubernatorial nominee against Orval Eugene Faubus
. Britt was also a cousin to internationally known actress Dorothy Lamour. [4]
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, businessman, and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. He played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and later served from 1967-1971 as the seventh Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
The Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas presides over the Arkansas Senate with a tie-breaking vote, serves as governor when the governor is out of state, and serves as governor if the governor is impeached, removed from office, dies or is otherwise unable to discharge the office's duties.The position...
of his home state during the administration of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
. Rockefeller and Britt were the first Republicans to have served in their state's top two offices since Reconstruction.
Early life
Born in CarlisleCarlisle, Arkansas
Carlisle is a city in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States. It is the easternmost municipality within the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Britt, Sr., Britt was reared in nearby Lonoke
Lonoke, Arkansas
Lonoke is the second most populous city in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States, and serves as its county seat. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,553...
. He earned the nickname "Footsie" after winning a pair of shoes at a local fair as an adolescent. He was also known for his big feet. He graduated as the valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of Lonoke High School and then entered the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
at Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, where he was supported by an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
in both football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He earned an Army Reserve commission as a Second Lieutenant through Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
upon graduation. He received a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1941 and played football with the Lions during the 1941 season. He is a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
.
World War II
After the attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Britt entered the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a second lieutenant at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, in the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) in the 30th Infantry Regiment. He received a partial deferment to entering active duty until after the 1941 football season. He initially joined the 3rd ID and participated in coastal defense on the west coast of the United States.
As a platoon leader, he led his men on the morning of November 8, 1942, under General George S. Patton, Jr., in invading the French North African beaches at Fedela. The U.S. 30th Infantry came on shore quickly secured the left flank of the division on November 8 and silenced Fort Blondin in the process which had been firing on the naval forces lying off the Moroccan coast. By November 11, the 30th and 3rd Infantry Divisions had secured Casablanca. Britt led his men through the subsequent combat and campaigns in North Africa. He is jokingly remembered for "chasing Rommel across all of north Africa".
He continued to serve as a platoon leader as part of the "Joss" force during Operation Husky, the amphibious invasion of Sicily. In Operation Husky, Britt led his platoon in numerous combat actions as the 3rd Infantry Division executed one of the longest foot marches in modern military history, from near Gela northward to Palermo. The regiment marched 54 miles in only 33 hours. Britt led his men through the combat and extensive marching from Palermo to Messina in Sicily.
In September 1943, Britt participated in Operation Avalanche, the amphibious landings in Salerno, Italy. This was his third amphibious assault of the war. By early October, the whole of southern Italy was in Allied hands, and the Allied armies faced the Volturno Line
Volturno Line
The Volturno Line was a German defensive position in Italy during the World War II.The line ran from Termoli in the east, along the Biferno River through the Apennine Mountains to the Volturno River in the west....
, the first of a series of prepared defensive lines running across Italy from which the Germans chose to fight delaying actions, giving ground slowly and buying time to complete their preparation of the Winter Line, their strongest defensive line south of Rome. Britt led his men in the river crossing on the Volturno River. During this engagement, he earned the Silver Star and the first of three Purple Hearts.
In February 1944, Britt was fighting in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was part of the initial invasion at Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
, where he won a battlefield promotion to captain. On October 10, 1943, he did calisthenics
Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a form of aerobic exercise consisting of a variety of simple, often rhythmical, movements, generally using multiple equipment or apparatus. They are intended to increase body strength and flexibility with movements such as bending, jumping, swinging, twisting or kicking, using...
to draw German fire at the battleground of Mignano, Italy, which his fellow soldiers referred to thereafter as "Britt's Junction". He managed to repel the Germans, but lost his right arm. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
, the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. Britt was the first recipient of the top three combat decorations in a single war.
Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Disdaining enemy hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s and close-range machine pistolPistolWhen distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
, machinegunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
, and rifleRifleA rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
, Lieutenant Britt inspired and led a handful of his men in repelling a bitter counterattack by approximately 100 Germans against his company positions north of Mignano, Italy, the morning of 10 November 1943. During the intense fire fight, Lt. Britt's canteen and field glasses were shattered; a bullet pierced his side; his chest, face, and hands were covered with grenade wounds. Despite his wounds, for which he refused to accept medical attention until ordered to do so by his battalion commander following the battle, he personally killed 5 and wounded an unknown number of Germans, wiped out one enemy machinegun crew, fired 5 clips of carbine and an undetermined amount of M1 rifle ammunition, and threw 32 fragmentation grenades. His bold, aggressive actions, utterly disregarding superior enemy numbers, resulted in capture of 4 Germans, 2 of them wounded, and enabled several captured Americans to escape. Lt. Britt's undaunted courage and prowess in arms were largely responsible for repulsing a German counterattack which, if successful, would have isolated his battalion and destroyed his company.
Post-war
After the war, he briefly attended the University of Arkansas' Fayetteville Law School, but left to enter business. He spent 20 years working at a furnitureFurniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
manufacturing company and then running the Beautyguard Manufacturing Company, a producer of aluminum building products.
In 1966, he was elected lieutenant governor. He was re-elected in 1968 but did not seek a third term in 1970, having deferred to his friend and Little Rock neighbor, Sterling R. Cockrill, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
turned Republican. Britt barely defeated the Democratic nominees, James H. Pilkinton of Hope
Hope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
in 1966 and Bill Wells in 1968. He was an original Arkansas Republican, having been active in his state's Young Republicans in college. After leaving office, he was appointed by the Nixon administration as district director of the Small Business Administration
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
. He served in that capacity from 1971 to 1985.
In 1986, Britt came out of political retirement to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He polled only 3,116 votes (13.9 percent) to 13,831 ballots (61.9 percent) for former Governor Frank D. White
Frank D. White
Frank Durward White was the 41st Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He served a single two-year term from 1981 to 1983. He is one of only two people to have defeated President Bill Clinton in an election. Frank Durward White (June 4, 1933 – May 21, 2003) was...
. A third candidate, Wayne Lanier, received 4,576 votes (20.5 percent) in a low-turnout primary. White was thereafter defeated in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
for a second time by future U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Britt was a leader in civic affairs too. He was past state chairman of the Crippled Children's Hospital, Easter Seals
Easter Seals
Easter Seals is an international charitable organization devoted to providing opportunities for children with physical disabilities. See*Easter Seals *Easter Seals *Easter Seals...
, and the Federal Executive Association. He was a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and received the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Sports Achievement Award.
Death
Britt died of heart failure in the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little RockLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. He was of two lieutenant governors in state history to lie in state in the State Capitol Rotunda, the other being Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, the son of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. The coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
was open, and Britt's military coat hung from the back of his favorite rocking chair
Rocking chair
A rocking chair or rocker is a type of chair with two curved bands of wood attached to the bottom of the legs . The chair contacts with the floor at only two points, giving the occupant the ability to rock back and forth by shifting his/her weight or pushing lightly with his/her feet...
, which was placed next to the body. His medals and a military cap were placed on a nearby table. An Army Sergeant stood at the head of the casket throughout the six hours that Britt lay in state.
Services were held in the Calvary Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Little Rock, where Britt was a member. Burial was in Little Rock National Cemetery
Little Rock National Cemetery
Little Rock National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery, located two miles south of the city of Little Rock, in Pulaski County, Arkansas. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 25,172 interments. It is currently closed to new interments.- History :The area around Little Rock...
.
Family
Britt had three daughters, Andrea Schafer and Nancy McDurmont, both of Lonoke, and Patricia Anne Britt of Falls Church, VirginiaFalls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
; two sons, Maurice Lee Britt, III (born ca. 1950), and his wife, Dee Britt, of Royal, Arkansas
Royal, Arkansas
Royal is an unincorporated community in Garland County, Arkansas, United States. It lies at an elevation of 489 feet .-References:...
, and Timothy Watson Britt (born ca. 1955) of Little Rock; one brother, B.A. Britt (born ca. 1925) of Carlisle; 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
does not mention his wife because she about the same time that he expired. Britt was a distant cousin of the late Henry M. Britt
Henry M. Britt
Henry Middleton Britt, III , was a Hot Springs lawyer who was a pioneer in the revitalization of the Republican Party in the heavily Democratic state of Arkansas, primarily during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1960, having been decisively defeated by Orval...
of Hot Springs
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
, the 1960 Republican gubernatorial nominee against Orval Eugene Faubus
Orval Faubus
Orval Eugene Faubus was the 36th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1955 to 1967. He is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of Little Rock public schools during the Little Rock Crisis, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the United States Supreme Court by ordering the...
. Britt was also a cousin to internationally known actress Dorothy Lamour. [4]
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II