World War II Medal of Honor Recipient and Politician. He received the award for his actions as a 1st Lieutenant platoon leader assigned to Company L, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Battalion on November 10, 1943, near Mignano, Italy. After graduating from Lonoke High School, Lonoke, Arkansas, in 1937, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville on an athletic scholarship. In 1941, he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and an Army Reserve commission as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Prior to going active duty in December 1941, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions and played professional football for the 1941 season. In October 1942, his unit was sent to North Africa and while there, he was assigned as one of the personal guards for Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Following the Allied victory with the North African Campaign, his unit participated in the invasion of Sicily, followed by Italy in 1943, as part of Operation Avalanche. In January 1944, he participated in Operation Shingle, the Allied invasion of Anzio, Italy. He lost part of his right arm in battle. He returned to the U.S. for medical treatment and was discharged in December 1944 at the rank of Captain. In addition to the Medal of Honor, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart (with three oak leaf clusters), the British Military Cross, and the Italian Military Medal for Valor. Following the war, he worked at a furniture manufacturing firm and operated an aluminum building products firm. He then entered politics and was elected Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas as a Republican for two terms, from 1966 through 1970. After leaving office, he was appointed as District Director of the Small Business Administration, from 1971 until 1985. 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, machine gun, and rifle, Lt. 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 machine-gun 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."