Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 28, 1945
Robert K. Kent Reported Killed On Japanese Ship
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kent of Benge were informed by the war department last weekend that their son, Pvt. Robert K. Kent, a Japanese prisoner since the fall of Bataan in 1942, was one of the many American prisoners of war who were lost at sea while being transported northward from the Philippine islands on a Japanese ship which was sunk Oct. 24, 1944.
"In the absence of any probability of survival he must be considered to have lost his life and he will be carried on the records of the war department as killed in action Oct. 24, 1944," the letter stated.
The war department was informed the vessel sailed from Manila Oct. 11, 1944, with 1,775 prisoners of war aboard. On Oct. 24, the vessel was sunk by submarine action in the South China sea and only five of the prisoners escaped in a small boat and reached the coast. Four others have been reported as picked up by the Japanese, by whom all others aboard were reported lost.
Private Kent is the 17th Adams county serviceman to be killed in action and the 24th to die in World War II.
He had been in the service since January, 1944, when he enlisted in the army at the same time his brother, Herbert, was drafted so the two could be together. They were able to remain together until they were captured by the Japs in the fall of Bataan. Herbert is now reported in a prison camp on the Japanese mainland.
Robert Kent was born July 22, 1915, in Centalia, Ill., where his mother was visiting relatives. He attended grade school at Benge and was a graduate of Benge high school. He worked for Roy Scott before entering the service.
After enlisting in the army, Private Kent was in training in the United States before being sent to the Philippines with a coast artillery unit.
All of his three brothers are in the service, Alfred with the navy in the Pacific, Wilbur with the army in Italy and Herbert in a Japanese prison
camp. He also has 11 cousins in the armed forces. His sisters are Mrs. D. D. Bruihl and Mrs. Keith Honn, Benge; Anita, Spokane, and Mary Ann at home.
Thank you to Sue Garnder for this transcription.
Robert K. Kent Reported Killed On Japanese Ship
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kent of Benge were informed by the war department last weekend that their son, Pvt. Robert K. Kent, a Japanese prisoner since the fall of Bataan in 1942, was one of the many American prisoners of war who were lost at sea while being transported northward from the Philippine islands on a Japanese ship which was sunk Oct. 24, 1944.
"In the absence of any probability of survival he must be considered to have lost his life and he will be carried on the records of the war department as killed in action Oct. 24, 1944," the letter stated.
The war department was informed the vessel sailed from Manila Oct. 11, 1944, with 1,775 prisoners of war aboard. On Oct. 24, the vessel was sunk by submarine action in the South China sea and only five of the prisoners escaped in a small boat and reached the coast. Four others have been reported as picked up by the Japanese, by whom all others aboard were reported lost.
Private Kent is the 17th Adams county serviceman to be killed in action and the 24th to die in World War II.
He had been in the service since January, 1944, when he enlisted in the army at the same time his brother, Herbert, was drafted so the two could be together. They were able to remain together until they were captured by the Japs in the fall of Bataan. Herbert is now reported in a prison camp on the Japanese mainland.
Robert Kent was born July 22, 1915, in Centalia, Ill., where his mother was visiting relatives. He attended grade school at Benge and was a graduate of Benge high school. He worked for Roy Scott before entering the service.
After enlisting in the army, Private Kent was in training in the United States before being sent to the Philippines with a coast artillery unit.
All of his three brothers are in the service, Alfred with the navy in the Pacific, Wilbur with the army in Italy and Herbert in a Japanese prison
camp. He also has 11 cousins in the armed forces. His sisters are Mrs. D. D. Bruihl and Mrs. Keith Honn, Benge; Anita, Spokane, and Mary Ann at home.
Thank you to Sue Garnder for this transcription.
Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 28, 1945
Robert K. Kent Reported Killed On Japanese Ship
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kent of Benge were informed by the war department last weekend that their son, Pvt. Robert K. Kent, a Japanese prisoner since the fall of Bataan in 1942, was one of the many American prisoners of war who were lost at sea while being transported northward from the Philippine islands on a Japanese ship which was sunk Oct. 24, 1944.
"In the absence of any probability of survival he must be considered to have lost his life and he will be carried on the records of the war department as killed in action Oct. 24, 1944," the letter stated.
The war department was informed the vessel sailed from Manila Oct. 11, 1944, with 1,775 prisoners of war aboard. On Oct. 24, the vessel was sunk by submarine action in the South China sea and only five of the prisoners escaped in a small boat and reached the coast. Four others have been reported as picked up by the Japanese, by whom all others aboard were reported lost.
Private Kent is the 17th Adams county serviceman to be killed in action and the 24th to die in World War II.
He had been in the service since January, 1944, when he enlisted in the army at the same time his brother, Herbert, was drafted so the two could be together. They were able to remain together until they were captured by the Japs in the fall of Bataan. Herbert is now reported in a prison camp on the Japanese mainland.
Robert Kent was born July 22, 1915, in Centalia, Ill., where his mother was visiting relatives. He attended grade school at Benge and was a graduate of Benge high school. He worked for Roy Scott before entering the service.
After enlisting in the army, Private Kent was in training in the United States before being sent to the Philippines with a coast artillery unit.
All of his three brothers are in the service, Alfred with the navy in the Pacific, Wilbur with the army in Italy and Herbert in a Japanese prison
camp. He also has 11 cousins in the armed forces. His sisters are Mrs. D. D. Bruihl and Mrs. Keith Honn, Benge; Anita, Spokane, and Mary Ann at home.
Thank you to Sue Garnder for this transcription.
Robert K. Kent Reported Killed On Japanese Ship
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kent of Benge were informed by the war department last weekend that their son, Pvt. Robert K. Kent, a Japanese prisoner since the fall of Bataan in 1942, was one of the many American prisoners of war who were lost at sea while being transported northward from the Philippine islands on a Japanese ship which was sunk Oct. 24, 1944.
"In the absence of any probability of survival he must be considered to have lost his life and he will be carried on the records of the war department as killed in action Oct. 24, 1944," the letter stated.
The war department was informed the vessel sailed from Manila Oct. 11, 1944, with 1,775 prisoners of war aboard. On Oct. 24, the vessel was sunk by submarine action in the South China sea and only five of the prisoners escaped in a small boat and reached the coast. Four others have been reported as picked up by the Japanese, by whom all others aboard were reported lost.
Private Kent is the 17th Adams county serviceman to be killed in action and the 24th to die in World War II.
He had been in the service since January, 1944, when he enlisted in the army at the same time his brother, Herbert, was drafted so the two could be together. They were able to remain together until they were captured by the Japs in the fall of Bataan. Herbert is now reported in a prison camp on the Japanese mainland.
Robert Kent was born July 22, 1915, in Centalia, Ill., where his mother was visiting relatives. He attended grade school at Benge and was a graduate of Benge high school. He worked for Roy Scott before entering the service.
After enlisting in the army, Private Kent was in training in the United States before being sent to the Philippines with a coast artillery unit.
All of his three brothers are in the service, Alfred with the navy in the Pacific, Wilbur with the army in Italy and Herbert in a Japanese prison
camp. He also has 11 cousins in the armed forces. His sisters are Mrs. D. D. Bruihl and Mrs. Keith Honn, Benge; Anita, Spokane, and Mary Ann at home.
Thank you to Sue Garnder for this transcription.
Inscription
In Memory of
Robert Kenneth Kent
PVT US ARMY WWII
July 22, 1915 + October 24, 1944
Purple Heart
60th CA Regiment Gorregidor PI
Family Members
Other Records
Sponsored by Ancestry
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