LESTER L. BOYENS
Lester L. Boyens entered the Army May 19, 1942 at Fort Des Moines, going on to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he took his basic training. Following basic training, he was sent to Fort Ord, California and left for overseas October 1, 1942.

He served on Guadalcanal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Russell Islands and Luzon in the Philippine Islands. He received the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal. Bronze Star, five Battle Stars, Distinguished Unit Citation, and the Bronze Service Arrowhead Pacific Theater Medal.
He served his entire tour of duty with Company A, 169th infantry, 43rd Division. Lester received his honorable discharge October 17, 1945.

Following service, Lester started farming near Manilla and remained there until retiring in the spring of 1981. He married the former Betty Holdsworth and they are the parents of three children, Kevin and Keith of Manilla, and Kristie, Mrs. Tom Jacobson, of Manning.

Lester is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Boyens, who were residents of Aspinwall from 1934 to 1943

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1944

From Southwest Pacific
The following letter has been received by Mrs. Clyde Olson from her brother, Sgt. Lester L. Boyens son of Mr. and Mrs, Fred A. Boyens of Denison, Iowa. Lester was inducted into the army at Des Moines, Iowa, May 19, 1942. He spent about four months at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he received his basic training in the infantry.

In September he was transferred to Fort Ord, Calf., from where he embarked for service overseas. He landed with his Company at New Zealand in November. Since that time he has been in action at New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Russell Island, Randova, and New Georgia, seeing front line action in a number of these engagements and was among the first allied troops landed at Munda.
Southwest Pacific 1-16-44

Dear Brother and Sister:
If I ever had a steady job I have one now. It seems like ages since I wore a civilian suit much less to see some of my friends back home.
It seems like my job doesn't rate a vacation. Maybe they have a system that after five years we get one week with pay or something. Oh well, its a job when we finish we can look back and say, I helped to get what we wanted. After seen action and seeing pals and long-time chums fall beside me, when it could have been me, or staying awake nights so that your foxhole buddy might catch a few winks of much needed sleep, it makes me sit up and put two and two together.
Just what enables us to carry on? Is it our monthly pay, is it our own necks we try to protect, or is it something far bigger which we as a nation all cherish? Yes, I have come to the conclusion that our country with its ideals and free way of living plus our loved ones, are what we are fighting for. A trophy for which none can compare.

There are many folks back home who have sons fighting on many fronts.
They are in their best years of life, in fact, the prime of life, out there facing piercing cold, steel and firing hot lead into the darkness to draw back the red stains of blood. Instead they should be home mingling and associating with each other to obtain the love and affection that God has entrusted each and everyone with. This is what we are fighting for, so that those to follow may enjoy what our enemy is trying to destroy.

Then there are people who have no loved ones in the Service.
Yes, they are proud of the country they live m, for the riches and liberty it bears. They do not seem to realize that the upkeep of a nation is like that of a home, at different periods it must be checked over and improved. Vast sums must be invested to reconstruct, due to the weakening of the foundation.
Thus it is with a nation as now when it must be reconstructed, at a tremendous cost in dollars and dearest of all human lives.
Why pick this time to reap when others are sacrificing? Needless to say, it is not expected that all should bare arms. People should not think of the extra penny which they can; hoard away. Instead think of! some others son who has given up his job, with his life constantly at stake. Those who have sacrificed their limbs never to produce any more. Think of the boys crouching in muddy fox-holes, hungry and wet gripping their mighty weapons so that you may live and carry on a Christian life.

I have sat in my fox-hole praying for the let up of bursting shells buddies lie wounded, helpless and out of reach at the time for the needed medical care. We didn't think of our monthly pay but instead endangered our lives, so that others may live. We did not lay down our arms and say give me five cents an hour more or we won't produce. No, our minds were set to give what we had not expecting returns, that in the end our contribution will be rewarded, much more superior than our paymaster.
I cannot see why there should be strikes at a time like this when everybody's help counts. To those who are not satisfied with the pleasures of just working, not saying anything about their leisure hours when entertainment is at hand, I wish to say this, there is always an, opening on the front lines where there are no labor disputes and your food, clothing, and pay are always certain. Well, that's the way us guys feel about the strikes and labor disputes they have back there in the U. S. In our estimation there is no need for any of this, especially in these trying times.
Everything is going along as usual. Hard to tell what the future holds for us. Hoping this finds you all well,
Your brother, Lester.

 


In Loving Memory
LESTER, L. BOYENS

Service THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2003, 2:00 PM
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
MANILLA, IOWA

Officiating PASTOR MARK MUELLER

Congregational Hymns "ABIDE WITH ME" "A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD" "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL"
BONNIE LORENZEN, ORGANIST

Interment with Military Honors NISHNABOTNA CEMETERY MANILLA, IOWA
AMERICAN LEGION POST 132

Casketbearers RONALD OLSON, JAMES OLSON, DON HOLDSWORTH, VERDELL MUNDT, DAVID HOLDSWORTH, HARRY MUNDT, RUSSELL RANNIGER

Honorary Casketbearers JOHN JACOBSON, LAURA JACOBSON, WIL BOYENS, HANNAH BOYENS

THE FAMILY WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR KINDNESS EVIDENCED IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, AND INVITES YOU TO JOIN THEM FOR LUNCH AND FELLOWSHIP AT THE CHURCH FOLLOWING THE COMMITTAL SERVICE.

DRIVERS IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION MUST TURN ON VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS, DRIVE IN A CLOSE FORMATION AND BE ALERT.


Lester Lorenz, son of Fred and Hannah (Lorenzen) Boyens, was born March 25, 1916, north of Aspinwall, Iowa. He lived in the Aspinwall area until his family moved to the Irwin area where he attended rural school. Lester attended Irwin High School until he started working on the farm with his father.

Lester served in the United States Army during World War II in the Pacific Theater. In 1947, to raise money for a down payment on a farm, he returned to Guam as an employee of the Brown, Pacific & Maxon Construction Co., helping to build a harbor to accommodate large Naval vessels.

Lester was united in marriage with Leona Stehr and two sons Loren and Steve were born to this union. They lived on the Boyens family farm north of Manilla.

On September 18, 1954, Lester was united in marriage with Betty Holdsworth at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla. Three children were born to this union. The family lived north of Manilla on the farm Lester rented and then purchased from his father in the early 1960s. Even though they moved into town in 1977, he actively farmed for over 30 years, retiring in 1984. His wife Betty died in November of 1983.

Lester was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla and a lifetime member of American Legion Post 132 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517. He was an active member of the National Farmers Organization and recently joined the 43rd Infantry Division Veterans' Association. He enjoyed visiting with his family and looking after his sister Gladys.

After breaking his hip, Lester was hospitalized in Manning and Council Bluffs before his death at Mercy Hospital, Council Bluffs, on October 20, 2003, at the age of 87 years, 6 months and 25 days.

Preceding him in death are his parents, wives, brothers Alvin Boyens as a child and LaVerne Boyens and sister Delpha Olson.

He is survived by his five children: Kevin Boyens and wife Janet of Spencer; Kristie and husband Thomas Jacobson of Rochester, MN; Keith Boyens of Manilla; Loren Boyens and wife Sheila of Sioux Falls, SD; and Steve Boyens and wife Cher of Story City, IA; 11 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; sister Gladys Boyens of Manilla Manor Nursing Home; sisters-in-law Darlene Boyens of Kiron; Virginia Mundt of Manilla; and Opal Holdsworth of Denison; brother-in-law Vernon Holdsworth and wife Della of Harlan; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

 


Lester Boyens was inducted into the United States Army at Fort Des Moines on May 19, 1942. After basic training at Camp Shelby, MS, he received advanced training at Fort Ord, CA. On October 1, 1942, Lester was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater during world war II. He saw action on Guadalcanal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, the Russell Islands and Luzon, Philippines. He served his entire tour of military duty with company A, 169th Infantry Regiment 43rd Division. He received the Asiatic-Pacific is Service medal, Bronze Star; five Battle Stars, Distinguished unit citation and Bronze Service Arrowhead Pacific Theater Medal. He was also awarded the following medals from the government of the Philippines in 1998: Philippine Liberation Medal, Philippine Republic Presidential unit citation Badge, Asiatic Pacific campaign Medal and WWII victory medal. After his honorable discharge on October 17, 1946, he returned to Denison.