2023 Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Arkansas (1941)
Capt. (Ret.) Maurice Lee Britt was born on June 29, 1919 in Carlisle, Arkansas. He attended the University of University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
Britt played football and basketball at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and then advanced to professional football, until the attack on Pearl Harbor propelled the country into World War II.
Britt was drafted into the Army in 1941. He was an officer with the Third Infantry Division, his athletic abilities and experience with teamwork served him well while he commanded action in the African, Sicilian, and Italian campaigns.
In a battle to take Rome on November 10, 1943, near Mignano, Italy, Britt led his small company of men in a counterattack opposing approximately 100 German soldiers. Without the repulse of this attack, his battalion would have been isolated and his company destroyed. It was an intense firefight and involved hand grenades and close-range machine gun, pistol, and rifle fire. During this fierce battle, Britt received a bullet wound in his side while his chest, face, and hands were covered with wounds caused by grenades, yet he still managed to throw thirty-two hand grenades.
Britt’s actions near Mignano, Italy, earned him the Medal of Honor.
Involved in many battles, Britt later lost his right arm when an artillery shell landed near him on February 12, 1944. Other awards for his service included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart from the United States, as well as the Military Cross of the British Empire and the Al Valore Militare Merit from the Italians.
After his return to Arkansas, Britt was pinned with the MOH on the University of Arkansas football field during the 1944 commencement ceremony. His MOH citation says, “…Despite his wounds, for which he refused to accept medical attention… …he personally killed 5 and wounded an unknown number of Germans, wiped out one enemy machinegun crew… …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.”
On September 18, 1948, he gave the dedication speech for War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, where the Arkansas Razorbacks still occasionally play. From 1966 to 1970, Britt served two terms as the Lt. Governor of Arkansas. He also served as the district director of the Small Business Administration from 1971 to 1985, after offered the position from President Richard Nixon.
Britt died on November 26, 1995, and is buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery.
About the Army ROTC Hall of Fame
The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The first class (2016) inducted 326 former ROTC Cadets who had distinguished themselves in their military or civilian career.
The Hall of Fame honors graduates of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. It provides a prestigious and tangible means of recognizing and honoring Army ROTC Alumni who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Nation, the Army and the history and traditions of the Army ROTC Program.
Read more about the 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees.
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