May 27, 1991 was a very special day for American Legion Post 102. Not only was it Memorial Day, but Post 102 had the honor of dedicating a life size statute of an Anoka native who was awarded the Medal Of Honor (MOH) during World War II. The ceremonies included a parade, as well as a reception at the post, to honor three MOH recipients.
In May 1990, The American Legion Post 102 commissioned sculptor Rodger M. Brodin to do the work. The statue is titled appropriately "Above and Beyond". Richard Sorenson acted well above and beyond when he jumped on a live Japanese hand grenade to save the lives of five fellow Marines. The most remarkable thing about this unselfish act, was that he lived through this horrible ordeal. He had fragments of the grenade in his legs and right arm, but a corpsman prevented him from bleeding to death. His citation for this action follows this article.
The statue is part of a War Memorial; which consisted of the statue, seven flagpoles, and a lectern flanked by two markers. The statue is of a Marine carrying a heavy machine gun on his right shoulder. The lectern contains the seals of all branches of the military. The seven flagpoles fly the flags of the branches of the military, the United States Flag, and a Prisoner Of War/Missing In Action (POW/MIA) Flag. The cost of the memorial was $42,000, which was funded by Post 102. The City of Anoka assisted in paying for the landscaping and sidewalks.
His citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
PRIVATE RICHARD K. SORENSON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with an assault battalion attached to the Fourth Marine Division during the battle of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, on February 1–2, 1944. Putting up a brave defense against a particularly violent counterattack by the enemy during invasion operations, Private Sorenson and five other Marines occupying a shell hole were endangered by a Japanese grenade thrown into their midst. Unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own safety, Private Sorenson hurled himself upon the deadly weapon, heroically taking the full impact of the explosion. As a result of his gallant action, he was severely wounded, but the lives of his comrades were saved. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
