The 3rd Armored Division's official history of World War II memorialized Rose by stating "He was over six feet tall, erect, dark haired, and had finely chiseled features.

[3] Rose lied about his age to enlist in the Colorado National Guard as a private after graduating from high school, hoping to serve in the Pancho Villa Expedition.

[7] Instead, they believe it is more likely that Rose was not especially religious as an adult, and claimed Protestantism in his military records as a way to assimilate with his peers and increase his chances for advancement as his career progressed.

[11][a] After graduating from Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Riley, Kansas in August 1917, Rose was commissioned as a Reserve second lieutenant of Infantry.

[14] With American entry into World War I having occurred in April 1917, after receiving his commission, Rose was assigned to command a platoon in the 353rd Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 89th Division.

[18] Rose took part in combat throughout the offensive, and was wounded at St. Mihiel, including being hit by shrapnel during a German mortar and artillery barrage, as well as sustaining a concussion.

[22] After leaving the Army, Rose accepted a position as a traveling salesman with Hendrie & Bolthoff, makers of mining and manufacturing equipment and supplies.

[23] During a visit to the post quartermaster at nearby Fort Douglas, Rose learned that while the army carried out a post-war reorganization, it was accepting a limited number of lieutenants and captains for return to active duty.

[29] In 1927, Rose was assigned to Kansas State University as a Reserve Officers' Training Corps instructor,[30] and his additional duties included coaching rifle marksmanship for both men's and women's teams.

[35] Rose was assigned to duty as adjutant of the Corozal Military Post on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal Zone beginning in February 1933.

[44] When German forces in Tunisia were reduced to combat ineffectiveness, Rose negotiated with their commander, Fritz Krause, on the details of their unconditional surrender.

[44] When Leroy H. Watson was relieved as commander of the 3rd Armored Division during combat in France in August 1944, Rose succeeded him and was promoted to major general.

[44] Following the 1944 Allied breakthrough on the French coast, the 3rd Armored Division dashed through Belgium and was the first tank unit to enter Germany, and the first to breach the Siegfried line.

[44] On March 30, 1945, Rose was riding with members of his staff at the front of a 3rd Armored column a few miles south of the city of Paderborn in a rural forested area.

[44] Receiving reports of units being cut off by German troops, they turned around to investigate, and suddenly began taking small arms, tank, and anti-tank fire.

[44] When they realized that they were being surrounded by German tanks of the SS Brigade Westfalen they re-mounted their vehicles and attempted to escape, driving off the road and through a nearby field.

[44] The investigation concluded that the German tank crew probably believed Rose intended to fight, and had no idea they had killed a high-ranking commander, because his body and several sensitive documents he was carrying were not removed from his jeep.

[44] Rose's awards and decorations included:[49] Synopsis: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major General Maurice Rose (ASN: 0–8439), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 3d Armored Division, in action against enemy forces from 6 to 9 September 1944.

[51] They were the parents of a son, Maurice Roderick "Reece" Rose (1941–2020), who spent his career in law enforcement, including service as chief of police for the San Antonio International Airport.

"[49] However, Rose never gained the prominence of many of his contemporaries, for reasons including the fact that he did not survive the war, and as an intensely private man, he rarely if ever sought personal publicity.