Winfield in Henry County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial

Honoring Henry County Veterans

— Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II —

Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (<i>west side</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

1. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (west side)

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

Inscription.
[west side]Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

[north side]B. Gen. Frank Garretson

[east side]224th Engineers Clear the Way!
Briggs

Erected 2021.

Topics and series. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • War, 2nd Iraq • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Distinguished Service Cross/Navy Cross/Air Force Cross Recipients, the Freedom Rock Memorials, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart series lists.

Location. 41° 7.667′ N, 91° 26.266′ W. Marker is in Winfield, Iowa, in Henry County. It is at the intersection of South Locust Street (State Highway 249) and East Pine Street, on the left when traveling south on South Locust Street. The Freedom Rock is in a covered shelter at the northeast corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 117 South Locust Street, Winfield IA 52659, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker and memorial is in Southern Iowa. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it

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is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Farmers Union Exchange (approx. 5.8 miles away); Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. 5.8 miles away); The Dala Horse (approx. 5.8 miles away); The Old Military Road (approx. 7.9 miles away); Beginning of National Republican Party (approx. 7.9 miles away); First Settler's Home in Washington County (approx. 7.9 miles away); James Harlan (approx. 12.1 miles away); Das Deutsches Kollegium (approx. 12.2 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Brigadier General Frank Edmund Garretson (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: Frank E. Garretson was born on February 27, 1918, in Salem, Iowa, as the oldest son of farmer and football coach of Iowa Wesleyan Tigers, Herman John Garretson and Marion Scott Becker.
A veteran of World War II, he distinguished himself as commanding officer of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines,
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

2. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (north side)
Brigadier General Frank Edmund Garretson
Navy Cross
4th Marine Division during the attack on Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on February 1–2, 1944 and received the Navy Cross, the United States' second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
Garretson remained in the Marines and participated in battles in the Korean War and Vietnam War. He served as commander of Task Force Hotel, which was assigned the task of maintaining the defense of Khe Sanh Combat Base and the surrounding outposts in 1968–1969. Garretson retired as deputy commander, Camp Pendleton in June 1970.

(Submitted on December 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. SGT Robert William Briggs (Find A Grave).

(Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa, USA) Excerpt: Robert William Briggs (January 14, 1969 - June 28, 2011) of Hillsboro, IA, formerly of Keokuk, IA, passed away Tuesday, June 28, 2011 in Washington County IA from injuries received on April 16, 2005 for which he received the Purple Heart Award, while serving his country in Iraq.
Bob was employed by the State of Iowa Department of Transportation from November 1999 to April 2005. He served with the National
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

3. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (east side)
224th Engineers Clear the Way!
SGT. Robert William Briggs
Purple Heart
Guard 224th Combat Engineers Co. C in Keokuk and Mt. Pleasant from September 1991 to December 2007 when he was retired due to injuries he sustained while serving in Ramadi, Iraq.

(Submitted on December 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (Southeast Iowa Union).

(by Liam Halawith, 6/30/2021) Excerpt: The Henry County Freedom Rock, located on the corner of Locust and Pine streets on the Winfield square, is the 96th edition in the more than 100-rock journey muralist and painter Ray “Bubba” Sorensen is creating in Iowa and surrounding states to memorialize military service in the communities where the rocks are. Henry County’s rock is memorializing the area’s strong link to Medal of Honor recipients, according to Sorensen, and the 224th Brigade Engineer Battalion of the Iowa Army National Guard that is from the Mt. Pleasant area.

(Submitted on December 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

4. The Freedom Rock (facebook).

Thanking our Veterans, one painting at a time.

(Submitted on December 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (<i>south side</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

4. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial (south side)

Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

5. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial

Looking north along South Locust Street.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 20, 2025

6. Winfield Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial

Looking east across South Locust Street.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 21, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.