ROBERT LEE LAKE

April 4, 1926 - February 19, 1945

Private First Class 2nd Infantry

Serial Number 37750121; Enlisted Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, August 17, 1944

Robert Lee Lake was born in Manning April 4, 1927, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eustace L. Lake. He attended Manning High School, and was a member of the football and basketball teams.

Lake entered the service August 16, 1944. He was an expert rifleman with the Second Division of the Third Army, and was awarded the Sharpshooter's Medal.

Pfc. Lake was killed February 19, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg.
He was first buried there; in August, his body was returned for burial in the Manning Cemetery.

Robert Lake is buried in the Manning Cemetery.
Section C Row #1 north - south.

Manning Monitor article------ 1944

Pvt. Robert Lake left Sunday night for Ft. Meade, Md. after spending a short furlough here with his parents and family, Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake.
Robert has been receiving the Monitor and expresses his thanks to the staff and Legion for the courtesy.

Manning Monitor article------ 1945

CARD OF THANKS
We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to our many friends, neighbors and relatives for the expressions of sympathy extended us in our recent bereavement in the loss of our son and brother, Robert Lake, who died in action in Europe on February 19. The many cards and letters of condolence have greatly relieved our burden.
Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Lake and Family.
Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hansen.

MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR LT. HEINZ DETLEFSEN AND PVT. ROBERT LAKE
Memorial services for Lt. Heinz Detlefsen, fighter plane pilot, who was killed in action over Germany and Pvt, Robert Lake, will be held in the Zion Lutheran church here Sunday morning, April 8, during, the morning worship service.

Lt. Detlefsen is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Detlefsen. His wife, former Elnor VanNote, lives at Ames.

Pvt. Lake, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake, was killed in action in the infantry in Germany.

Robert Lake Killed in Action in Germany;
Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake received a message from the War department Sunday stating that their son, Pfc. Robert Lake had been killed in action somewhere in Germany, February 19. He was an expert rifleman in the Second Division of the Third Army, and was awarded a Sharpshooter's Medal.
Robert was born in Manning on April 4, 1926, and was 18 years old.'' He entered the service on August 16, 1944. He was home on a furlough shortly after Christmas and early in January was sent overseas.
The last letter received from him from Luxembourg was dated a few days before his death. He would have been a member of the present graduating class here and was a member of the Bulldog football and basketball teams.

He is survived by his parents, two sisters, Mrs. Leroy Hansen (Margaret), Dorothy, and a brother, Eustace Jr., at home. A brother, Carl, died at the age of seven.
News of the death of a cousin of Robert's, Melvin Hammer of Denison who died from wounds received in action in Burma, was received here February 2nd.

Military Rites For Robert Lake
Pfc. Robert Lake, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake, who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge in Europe during fighting in February 1945, will be given military reburial here Sunday afternoon. Remains are scheduled to arrive on the Chicago & Great Western line that morning.

Funeral services will be held in Zion Lutheran church with the Rev. John M. Ansorge officiating. Burial will be made in the local cemetery with the ceremonials team of the Legion post in charge.

Robert entered military service at the age of 18 and fell in battle while his unit participated in the famed "Battle of the Bulge" late in the European fighting.
He was born April 4, 1926 in Manning and received his education here, participating in basketball and football.

Besides his parents he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. LeRoy (Margaret) Hansen; Dorothy and a brother, Eustace, Jr., at home. A brother, Carl, passed away at the age of seven.

Other survivors include his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Lake of New Market and Mr. and Mrs. Gus Ress of Manilla.

The body of Pfc. Robert Lake, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake, is being returned from a temporary military cemetery in Luxemburg soon, according to word received by his parents here this week.

Robert entered military service August 1944 at the age of 18 and was killed in the "Battle of the Bulge" in February 1945.
Full military rites will be held in Manning. Complete details will be printed later.

Parents Told Robert Lake Dies in Action
The Daily Times Herald, March 7, 1945
Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake have received a message from the war department stating that their son, Pfc. Robert Lake, was killed in action somewhere in Germany, February 19, 1945.
He was a rifleman in the Second Division of the Third Army. Pfc. Lake was born in Manning, April 4, 1926, and was 18 years old. He entered the service August 16, 1944. He was home on a furlough shortly after Christmas and early in January was sent overseas. The last letter received from him from Luxembourg was dated a few days before his death. He would have been a member of the present graduating class here.
He was active in athletics having belonged to the Bulldog football squad and the basketball team. He is survived by his parents, two sisters; Mrs. Leroy Hanse, (Margaret) and Dorothy, and a brother, Eustace, Jr., at home. A brother, Carl, died at the age of seven. News of the death of a cousin of Robert Melvin Hammer of Denison, who died from wounds received in action in Burma, was received here February 2.

Reburial Rites For Pfc. Lake Set at Manning
Body of Soldier Killed in Belgium Battle Will Arrive on Sunday
The Daily Times Herald, August 12, 1948
Word has been received by Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake that the body of their son, Pfc. Robert Lake, will arrive in Manning Sunday morning on the Great Western railroad. Funeral services will be held in the Zion Lutheran Church with the Rev. John M. Ansorge officiating. Reburial will be in the Manning cemetery. The ceremonial team of the American Legion will conduct the military services for the local post. Robert Entered military service at the age of 18 and was killed in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium in February 1945.

He was born April 4, 1926, at Manning. He received his education in the Manning schools and participated in basketball and football. He is survived by his parents, two sisters, Mrs. LeRoy Hansen Margaret and Dorothy and one brother, Eustace, Jr., a brother, Carl, died at the age of 7. Other survivors are his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Lake of New Market, Iowa, and Mrs. Gus Ress of Manilla.

Carroll Times Herald August 19, 1948
Reburial Rites For Pfc. Lake
Reburial Services for Private First Class Robert Lake, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Lake were held at the Zion Lutheran Church August 15. Pfc. Lake died in battle during the Battle of the Bulge, February 10, 1945.

His classmates and friends acted as pallbearers: William Hoffman, Elmer Kienast, William Lambert, Donald Mohr, William Muhlbauer, and James Schrum.

Relatives attending from a distance included: Mr. and Mrs. Irwin McKay and Marcella, New Market, Iowa; Mrs. Joe Hanford and Janice of Kansas City; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Lake, sons, Richard and Gary, Sac City; Mrs. Gus Ress and son, Ernest; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Jochimsen, Marvin, and Karen; Mr. and Mrs. Rockley Wenzel, Diane and David; Mr. and Mrs. William Hansen, Eleanor and Elaine, all of Manilla; Mr. and Mrs. Emil Ress, daughter, Janice, Schleswig; William Hammer, Denison; Mr. and Mrs. William Asmus, Arlene, Pearl, and Amos; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hoelscher, Joan, Lois, and Larry, Audubon; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Weems and LeRoy Rowedder, and a host of friends from surrounding towns.