In honor of Memorial Day, Greenfield’s Ray “Bubba” Sorensen will repaint the 12-foot tall, approximately 60-ton boulder known as the “Freedom Rock,” to pay tribute to our military men and women. Sorensen started painting the original Freedom Rock® the first week of May and plans to be finished by Memorial Day 2020. The rock, located south of Interstate 80 in Adair County, just east of Highway 25, will feature the men of Iwo Jima “Raising of the Flag” on the front side.

Work in progress photos courtesy Maria Sorensen/Freedom Rock Communications Coordinator.

The Marine Corps has closed the investigation on who took part in the iconic Flag Raising. They determined one of the men was an Iowan, Harold Keller. The side of the rock flows from the front lines of yesterday into the front lines of today, with a military nurse wearing a mask, eclipsing the USNS Comfort, as it coasted into New York Harbor. The previously painted Vietnam Era Huey helicopter stays on the Rock again this year, as the paint that it is comprised of has been mixed with the ashes of our Vietnam Veterans since 2006.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock® in Menlo, Iowa but works as an independent mural artist on the Iowa Freedom Rock® Tour. He is only able to complete about ten rocks
per year, due to scheduling and weather and is currently booked into the 2021 year. “I always say I have three goals with ‘The Freedom Rock® Tour’ and that is to honor America’s Veterans, promote Iowa tourism and provide for my family.” Sorensen said.

The Freedom Rock® Tour in Iowa will be concluding soon and the Sorensen’s are looking to form the Freedom Rock® Foundation, a nonprofit to care for and upkeep and create the Freedom Rocks® and
Veterans memorials across the state and country. For a list of complete counties booked for the Tour and locations of already existing Freedom Rocks®, please visit www.thefreedomrock.com.

Although it is Sorensen’s 22nd annual year of painting the original Freedom Rock®, this is Sorensen’s eighth year on the Freedom Rock® Tour across Iowa. This also marked the fourth year since Sorensen began the 50 State Freedom Rock® Tour with rocks already painted in Missouri and Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington. Freedom Rocks® have been booked for the states of North Dakota and Nebraska
Sorensen plans to be at The Freedom Rock® over Memorial Day weekend, including Memorial Day to meet with visitors.

Calendars as well as other merchandise are also available to help offset costs for the project. Social distancing practices will be implemented.