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.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, 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".
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:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Disdaining
enemy hand grenades and close-range machine pistol, machinegun, and
rifle, 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.
Congrats to Sono/Radd for the FTF!!