Robert Lents

Memorial Services: Will be held on a date to be announced later. Interment private. The Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements.

Robert Wayne Lents was born October 10,1921 near Creston, Union County, Iowa to George and Maude Lents. He died November 23, 2020 in the Arkansas residence for Veterans in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Robert was the youngest of seven children.

Robert lived in the Bridgewater, Iowa rural area until 1939 when he enlisted in the United States Navy Submarine Service. In March 1942 he was serving on the USS Perch and on its second war patrol was engaged in the Battle of the Java Sea. The Perch was lost and the crew was in the water until taken prisoner by the Japanese Navy. They were taken to the Island of Celebes and placed in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp at Makassar and was held captive there until toward the end of the war. He was moved to a POW camp in Java where he was until after the end of WWII. He was liberated on September 18, 1945 being held prisoner for 3 years and 7 months. Robert was awarded two (2) Bronze Stars, two (2) Purple Hearts, POW Medal, plus numerous other campaign awards. He received a medical discharge from the US Navy on December 31, 1946 with the rank of Chief Torpedo Man.

Robert married Carolyn Snyder at Greenfield, Iowa on February 1, 1946. To this union three children were born, Brian, Barbara and Susan. They made their home in Iowa where he farmed and worked for the US Postal Service. After retiring from the US Postal Service they moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas in 1975.

Robert was a member of the First United Methodist Church at Mountain Home, Arkansas and a life member of the US Submarine Veterans of World War II, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Survivors of Bataan and Corregidor, Disabled American Veterans, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Twin Lakes Submarine Base of Mountain Home, Arkansas, a Charter Member of the Submarine Veterans POW Survivors Association and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Preceding Robert in death were his wife of 73 years, Carolyn; his parents; six siblings and two daughters, infant Barbara Lents and Susan Jane Manning. He is survived by son Brian of Montana, Grandson Ransom Manning (Stacy) and five great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.