Lester Elwood Kness was born on July 14, 1919, in Audubon County, Iowa. He was the son of Austin Enos Kness and Bessie Estella Anderson Kness. He was the husband of Velma Lois Nixon Kness.

He served in Company E, 1st Ranger Battalion, as a Staff Sergeant during World War II. He was one of 50 US Army Rangers who participated with British Commando on the Dieppe raid in 1942. Lester was promoted to Captain and transferred to Company A, 4th Ranger Battalion. He fought with the Rangers until they left on the USS Edward Richardson and arrived in Hampton Roads, Virginia on May 3, 1944. Cpt Kness died on December 8, 2006, and is now buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, USA.

Source of information: wwiirangers.org