Freedom Rock pays tribute to veterans this Memorial Day – KCCI Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa

In honor of Memorial Day, Ray Bubba Sorensen II has repainted a 12-foot-tall, 60-ton boulder along Highway 25 near Greenfield, paying tribute to Americas servicemen and women.

Sorensens Freedom Rock project has made headlines for years with his first painting of the Freedom Rock 18 years ago in his endeavor to honor veterans.

I always say I have three goals with The Freedom Rock Tour and that is to honor Americas Veterans, promote Iowa tourism and provide for my family, Sorensen said.

This years front side of the rock, which faces the highway, is in honor of Desmond Doss, whose story was brought to life in the movie, Hacksaw Ridge. Its about a Medal of Honor recipient who saved many men during the Battle of Okinawa.

The south side of the Freedom Rock features War Dogs, or Guardians of America. It honors dogs from World War I through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, such as Sgt. Stubby, Smokey, Nemo and Lexi.

The east side will be the American flag flowing down into a piece honoring Master Sgt. Bob Ross, who is portrayed as painting a portrait of himself in the Air Force.

On the north side, Sorensen painted the Huey helicopter with green paint containing the ashes of fallen Vietnam Veterans. Above will be a piece honoring Lt. Col. Bruce Snakeshit Crandall and Ed W. Too Tall Freeman, who were Medal of Honor recipients.

Though it is Sorensens 19th year of painting the Freedom Rock, its his fifth year on the Freedom Rock Tour across Iowa. Its also the first year he began the 50 State Freedom Rock Tour, painting rocks in Missouri and Wisconsin.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock in Menlo, but he works as an independent mural artist for the Iowa Freedom Rock Tour. Sorensen is only able to complete about 10 rocks a year due to scheduling and weather and is booked through to 2021.

The Freedom Rock Tour is sponsored by the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation, of Iowa Falls, and Aluma Trailers, of Bancroft.

For a list of complete counties booked for the Tour and locations of already existing Freedom Rocks, visit http://www.thefreedomrock.com.

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.

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Freedom Rock pays tribute to veterans this Memorial Day - KCCI Des Moines