Black Hawk County Freedom Rock

The idea originated with Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II, a native of Greenfield, Iowa, the site of his original Freedom Rock. He launched the tour in 2013 engaging local support to locate a rock for painting in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Donated by a local developer, the rock was transported across town to its location west of Veterans Park Phase I. The eight foot high granite boulder, estimated to be 14 tons, was installed in the park on September 11, 2015. The front side features an American flag draped from the top below which stands a small boy with his hand over his heart, a marine in dress blues saluting, and an aged Legion member saluting; an intergenerational demonstration of patriotism. The south side is a likeness of U.S. Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Morris, an explosive ordinance disposal expert (EOD) and Cedar Falls native, who lost parts of all four limbs in an explosion May 2012 in eastern Afghanistan, and who survived quad-amputations.

The artist notes, “…who in my mind symbolizes service, sacrifice, and perseverance.” To Taylor’s right are the words: “WHEN THE BATTLES ARE DONE THE WAR ISN’T OVER FOR OUR VETERANS OR THEIR FAMILY—IT IS JUST BEGINNING.” Below these words, kneeling at the grave of a soldier is a widow or mother, symbolizing those who did not come home. On the back/west side are images of the U.S.S. Juneau and the 5 Sullivan brothers from Waterloo. Together they joined the Navy in WWII and served together on the U.S.S. Juneau. They all perished when a Japanese torpedo struck their ship on November 13, 1942. On the narrow side is a likeness of Cedar Falls Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Robert J. Hibbs. In March 1966 he was killed retrieving one of his wounded soldiers while under fire from the Viet Cong. He was the first Iowan to receive the Medal of Honor in that war. Bubba’s goal for Freedom Rocks is “to dig up personal stories and illustrate them so they are not forgotten, they also inevitably start conversation of other veterans’ stories.”