Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial

Honoring Morgan County Veterans

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Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II

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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

1. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (north side)

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Corridor.

Midwest,

Corridor,

Belt.

America,

Hemisphere,

World,

Anglosphere.

Culture,

Purchase,

South.

Excerpt:  It is a tall and unique shaped rock, with two flattish sides facing the road and a rough side on the back. The front features a sunset Arlington-like scene with the ghost of a veteran knelt behind his headstone and a little

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

2. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial
(northeast & northwest faces)

boy clutching a folded flag viewing the same headstone. Both murals serve as their own piece or joined together where the rock comes to a point in the middle. On the center headstone is a Korean War veteran who was KIA and whose remains were recently discovered and returned. Cpl. Gerald “Jerry” Newton Wilson was reported missing and presumed dead in July 1950 near Yong Dong South Korea. After decades of efforts involving Wilson’s family and the U.S. Army, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal Gerald Newton Wilson. His remains returned to Missouri October 11th. After his arrival, a procession traveled from St. Louis to the funeral home in Camdenton Missouri. His date of death was set as July 25th, 1950 making him one of the earliest casualties of the Korean War, he was 19. He's now buried in Parrack Grove Cemetery in Macks Creek alongside his parents.
Also included on one of the front sides, as a nod to the area Air Force base, are the B-2 Bomber and the A-10. Whiteman Air Force Base, which is the home of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and the future B-21 Raider, is also home to many other vital

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

3. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (south side)

American Bald Eagle and Lake of the Ozarks

units, both Air Force and sister services. Various support units make up the 509th Bomb Wing, including the 509th Mission Support and Medical groups. Additionally, the 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Reserve wing flying the A-10, and the 131st Bomb Wing, an Air National Guard unit that flies the B-2 alongside the 509th, call Whiteman home. The Army's 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion and the is also key joint-service partners stationed at Whiteman
On the back rough side, is an American Eagle head highlighting the many eagles that call the Ozarks home. Also on this side is a map of the lake and the picturesque shot of the lake and bluffs blending into the eagle head. And of course, Old Glory flowing free over the top of the entire rock.

Excerpt:  Jerry was born on 18-DEC 1930, in Camden County, Missouri.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

4. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (west side)

Draped flag

Jerry grew up in Macks Creek, Missouri and attended Macks Creek High School. Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 1948. His military occupation or specialty (MOS) was Light Weapons Infantryman. Corporal Wilson was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.
Jerry went missing in action (MIA) on 25-JUL 1950, during the defense of Yongdong in South Korea. He was 19 years old. This date is remembered in history as the opening day of the Korean War. Specific details of his loss are unknown. His remains were recovered by a Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, but they could not be identified at the time, and Cpl. Wilson was interred as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2018, historical analysis prompted his remains to be disinterred and analyzed with modern forensic tools. DPAA scientists used laboratory, dental, and anthropological analyses as well as circumstantial evidence to identify Cpl. Wilson. Wilson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

5. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial

The 4th Missouri Freedom Rock
Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II

War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen. Corporal Wilson was recognized posthumously with the Purple Heart.

Excerpt:  Rank: Second Lieutenant
Conflict/Era: World War II
Unit/Command: Company L, 133d Infantry, 34th Infantry Division
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Action Date: February 3 - 8, 1944
Medal of Honor Action Place: near Cassino, Italy
Citation: In the attack on the approaches to the city of Cassino on 3 February 1944, 2d Lt. Riordan led one of the assault platoons. Attacking Hill 175, his command was pinned down by enemy machine-gun fire from the hill and from a pillbox about 45 yards to the right of the hill. In the face of intense fire, 2d Lt. Riordan moved out in full view of the enemy gunners to reach a position from where he could throw a hand grenade into the pillbox. Then, getting to his knees, he hurled the grenade approximately 45 yards, scoring a direct hit. The grenade killed one and

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

6. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial Kiosk

Looking northeast; South Main Street (State Highway 5) crosses in the background.

wounded the other two Germans in the nest and silenced the gun. Another soldier then cleaned out the enemy pillboxes on the hill itself, and the company took its objective. Continuing the assault into Cassino itself on 8 February 1944, 2d Lt. Riordan and his platoon were given the mission of taking the city jailhouse, one of the enemy's several strongpoints. Again 2d Lt. Riordan took the lead and managed to get through the ring of enemy fire covering the approaches and reached the building. His platoon, however, could not get through the intense fire and was cut off. Second Lt. Riordan, aware that his men were unable to follow, determined to carry on singlehandedly, but the numerically superior enemy force was too much for him to overcome, and he was killed by enemy small-arms fire after disposing of at least two of the defenders.

Excerpt:  Rank: Private
Conflict/Era: World War II
Unit/Command: Company A, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

7. Laurie Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial Kiosk

Looking southwest from South Main Street.

Honor Action Date: December 8, 1944
Medal of Honor Action Place: Leyte, Philippine Islands
Citation: Before dawn, near the edge of enemy-held Buri airstrip, the company was immobilized by heavy, accurate rifle and machine-gun fire from hostile troops entrenched in bomb craters and a ditch less than 100 yards distant. The company commander ordered a mortar concentration which destroyed one machine gun but failed to dislodge the main body of the enemy. At this critical moment Pvt. Kelley, on his own initiative, left his shallow foxhole with an armload of hand grenades and began a one-man assault on the foe. Throwing his missiles with great accuracy, he moved forward, killing or wounding five men, and forced the remainder to flee in a disorganized route. He picked up an M1 rifle and emptied its clip at the running Japanese, killing three. Discarding this weapon, he took a carbine and killed three more of the enemy. Inspired by his example, his comrades followed him in a charge which destroyed the entire enemy force of 34 enlisted men and two officers and captured two heavy and one light machine guns. Pvt. Kelley continued to press the attack

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onto an airstrip, where sniper fire wounded him so grievously that he died two days later. His outstanding courage, aggressiveness, and initiative in the face of grave danger was an inspiration to his entire company and led to the success of the attack.

Excerpt:  Rank: Private
Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
Unit/Command: Company E, 9th New York Cavalry
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Action Date: September 26, 1864
Medal of Honor Action Place: North Fork, Virginia, USA
Citation: Voluntarily carried a severely wounded comrade out of a heavy fire from the enemy.