Jefferson in Greene County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial
Greene County
— Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II —
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 21, 2020
1. Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial :North Side
North Side
[1919 US Army Convoy along the Lincoln Highway US Highway 30]
West Side
[The Medal of Honor with Captain Darrell R. Lindsey's crippled B-26 Marauder bomber]
East Side
[Astronaut Loren J. Shriver and POW SGT. Robert A. Carman and HQ Company - 168 Infantry from the IA National Guard]
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, World I • War, World II.
Location. 42° 0.914′ N, 94° 22.079′ W. Marker is in Jefferson, Iowa, in Greene County. Memorial is on Lincolnway Street near South Mulberry Street, on the right when traveling east. The memorial is located in the Green County Freedom Rock Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 509 East Lincolnway Street, Jefferson IA 50129, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul and Railroad Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Captain Darrell R. Lindsey (approx. 0.3 miles away); Judge Robert Montgomery Rippey (approx. 0.3 miles away); Albert Head (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.3 miles away); Greene County Courthouse (approx. 0.3 miles away);
this page online
Regarding Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial. 1919 U.S. Army Convoy
1919 US Army Motor Transportation Corps convoy on the Lincoln Highway from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA to test how quickly men and materiel could be moved from coast to coast on the highway.
LTC Dwight D. Eisenhower was participating officer and later initiated the present day Interstate Highway system in the United States based on this early experience. The convoy traveled on the original road bed located immediately North of the Freedom Rock.
HQ Company - 168 Infantry
Members of the HQ Company, 168th Infantry Regiment, 34 Infantry Division (IA National Guard) previously headquartered in the Jefferson armory were captured in WWII at the Battle of Kasserine Pass in North Africa by German Field Marshall Irwin Rommel's Africa Corps.
Because of the high number of Iowa soldiers captured and the fact families were initially notified they were "Missing in Action" this was perhaps the darkest day of WWII for many Greene County families.
SGT.
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 21, 2020
2. Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial West Side
Prisoner of War Tech Sergeant Robert A. Carman a local farmer/IA National Guard member is portrayed on the POW/MIA portion of the Freedom Rock as he and many Iowa men spent 27 months in captivity in German POW camps.
Captain Darrell R. Lindsey
The Medal of Honor with Captain Darrell R. Lindsey's crippled B-26 Marauder bomber superimposed as it bombed a key railroad bridge over the Seine river in WWII Nazi occupied France.
After receiving a direct hit to his right engine, CPT Lindsey told his crew to bail out and held the plane steady until the entire crew jumped to safety. Shortly after the last man cleared the plane, the fuel tanks exploded and Captain Lindsey was instantaneously Killed.
In May of 1945, President Harry S. Truman remarked every man on that plane owed his life to the cool and courageous decisions Captain Lindsey made ignoring his own safety for that of his crew.
Astronaut Loren J. Shriver
Paton, IA native and Astronaut Loren J. Shriver who either commanded or piloted three successful US space shuttle missions.
Also see . . .
1. Iowa Freedom Rock Tour. (Submitted on March 16, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota.)
2. Greene County Freedom Rock News Article. (Submitted on March 16, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota.)
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 21, 2020
3. Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial West Side
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 21, 2020
4. Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial Wide View
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 21, 2020
5. Jefferson Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial Artist's Signature
Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 16, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 16, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
