Peter Sorensen, 72
Peter A. Sorensen of Columbia Falls passed away on Nov. 27 at 72. He was the eldest son born to Lucille and Ralph in Wolf Point, Montana. After graduating from Wolf Point High School in 1969, he attended one year at Montana State University before entering the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1974 working as a 91-C, advanced medical corpsman. After leaving the U.S. Army he returned to Montana State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1976. After graduating he worked in the private sector in healthcare facilities, air ambulance, home health and in the small business environment.
In 1989, Peter entered the Air Force with an assignment to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico where he worked as a charge nurse and was deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, where he found his niche in the readiness field. Following his return from Operation Shield/Storm, he returned to Saudi Arabia to set up a clinic in Riyadh. As it turns out, he spent more time in the theater than any other medic. Next assignment was to Kunsan Air Base South Korea, where he was charge nurse for the emergency room for a year, then on to Pope Air Force Base as a flight nurse. With this assignment came several deployments: Operation Vigilant Warrior, Operation Uphold Democracy, Cuba Operation Northern Watch, Saudi Arabia Operation Allied Forces, Operation Joint Endeavor and Bosnia.
He then went on to Yokota Air Base, Japan as a flight nurse and became chief of standards and evaluations. From there, he moved on to Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois as chief of Joint Readiness Training Center AE section with primary training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. During his assignment, he augmented the Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base in support of Operation Allied Force and Operation Shining Hope. Following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York, he worked the Crisis Action Team at Headquarters Air Mobility Command, sourcing equipment and personnel for Operation Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.
His next assignment was to Headquarters Special Operation Command South at Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico, where he worked in the J-5 shop. From Puerto Rico, he moved to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma serving as the Flight Commander for the Family Practice Clinic. While at Tinker he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He finished his 22-plus year career at Kadena Air Base Okinawa as the MDG Health Care Integrator and Education and Training Flight Chief.
Peter was preceded in death by his parents, Lucille and Ralph; infant sister Peggy; sister-in-law Carolyn (David’s wife and Mother to Leif and Lars). He is survived by his younger brothers R. Tod (Laura), Mark (Saran), David (special friend Linda), sister Julee (Dave); and nephews Leif (Avery) and Lars.
A memorial service with military honors will be held in the Spring of 2023 at Wolf Point. Memorials may be sent to Adopt-a-Sox, PO Box 6113, Bozeman MT 59771. The Adopt-a-Sox (AAS) mission is to recognize and thank active Montana military personnel during the holiday season, to show them that their own communities think of them and appreciate their service to our country.