Honoring a Legacy: LTC Kenneth J. “Mort” Mortenson Celebrated at  MMA Homecoming 2024

Feature photo above, from left to right, Cadets John Trippe and Daniel Bravo, Rob Farnam ’84, Laurie Ward and Karen Wills (daughters of LTC Mortenson), MMA President Geraci, and Cadets Rfred Cordero and Clayton Reich. 

During Missouri Military Academy’s Homecoming 2024, a special tribute was held on Saturday, September 28, to honor the legacy of LTC Kenneth J. “Mort” Mortenson (1926-1998), a dedicated faculty member and Fusileers drill team coach from 1958 to 1989. The MMA Alumni Association presented a commemorative plaque in his honor, which will be displayed in the Alain M. Garcia Almada ’06 Field House, ensuring that his impact will be remembered by future generations.

Major Kenneth Mortensen and Bob Baer hold the trio of trophies won at the state meet. Courtesy of the 1971 Taps Yearbook. 

“Under his direction, the MMA Fusileers, one of the Academy’s oldest extracurricular teams, were never more successful,” said Steve McDavid ’97. “Under Colonel Mortenson’s direction, they were the epitome of structure, discipline and class.”

The Mortenson Plaque and the dedication ceremony were efforts spearheaded by the current Alumni Association.  As a former Fusileer and past MMA Alumni Association president, Rob Farnam ’84 led the plaque dedication ceremony on behalf of the Association.

The event also coincided with the Homecoming drill down, dedicated to Mortenson’s memory. Current Fusileer drill team members, Cadets Duane Thompson, John Trippe, Khuslen Turmunkh, Seydina Issa Diop, Malachi Imrie, Alvaro Gonzales Farre, Daniel Bravo, River Punab-Mitchell, Ryan Miles and Zachary Sturgeon, participated in the drill down, honoring the legacy of the man who guided the Fusileers to greatness.

A military veteran and officer, Colonel Mortenson served under General George S. Patton during World War II and later fought in the Korean conflict, earning a Purple Heart. He began his MMA career in 1958 as an English instructor for the Junior School and eventually became the director of the Fusileers drill team in 1967. Under his leadership, the team achieved national acclaim, marching in two presidential inaugural parades and winning eight Governor’s Trophies—competing at the collegiate level.

“Colonel Mortenson gave his life in service to this great country, and to the future of it, through his steadfast loyalty to this institution, and his love, to over two decades of cadets, that trod these hallowed halls,” said McDavid ’97. “For those who had the pleasure of knowing him as young cadets, I’m sure each would give just about anything to be able to sit and chat with him as men.”

The LTC Kenneth J. “Mort” Mortenson commemorative plaque will be displayed in the Alain M. Garcia Almada ’06 Field House. 

Colonel Mortensen’s legacy extends beyond the Fusileers. Known for his high standards and dedication to excellence, he was a two-time recipient of the Heimos Award, given annually to faculty members for exemplary service to the MMA Corps of Cadets. His commitment to pushing cadets to achieve their full potential left a lasting impression on those who knew him, and his influence continues to resonate today.

Though Colonel Mortenson passed away on January 5, 1998, his accomplishments and dedication to MMA live on in the lives of the cadets he mentored and through the ongoing success of the Fusileers drill team.

“We commit this plaque in admiration of who Kenneth Mortenson was, and what he meant to Missouri Military Academy, but more importantly, to impart upon future generations of cadets what it means to be a military man of service and honor,” said McDavid ’97.