From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Snavely Rentz
1882-1942
CDR George S. Rentz
Place of birth	Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Place of death	Pacific Ocean
Rank	Commander
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Navy Cross

George Snavely Rentz (July 25, 1882 – March 1, 1942) was a United States Navy chaplain who served during World War I and World War II. For selfless heroism following the loss of USS Houston (CA-30) in the Battle of Sunda Strait, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross— the only Navy Chaplain to be so honored during World War II.

Born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, George Rentz graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1909 and for the next eight years served as a Presbyterian minister for the Presbytery of Northumberland, as well as pastoring churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Upon the entry of the United States in World War I, he was appointed acting chaplain with the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade and assigned to the US 11th Marine Regiment in France where he served until 1919. Rentz attained the rank of Commander in 1924. As chaplain, he served aboard the USS Florida (BB-30), USS Wright (AV-1), USS West Virginia (BB-48), USS Augusta (CA-31), and his final duty station, the USS Houston (CA-30). During his military career, Rentz also served at the Marine Barracks in Port Royal, South Carolina, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and Naval Air Station San Diego, California.

Commander Rentz transferred from the Augusta to the Houston in 1940 when it relieved Augusta as the flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. Rentz was a crew favorite, even going so far as to ignore regulations and dispense nips of alcohol as needed to the exhausted sailors (Last Battle Station pp. 70-71).

During an Allied attack on Houston on February 4, 1942, Commander Rentz spurned cover and circulated among the crew of the anti-aircraft battery, keeping up their spirits. It was noted that crew members at the guns “… saw this man of God, walking fearlessly among them, they no longer felt alone.” (Last Battle Station p. ??) In the Flores Sea, during this attack, Houston took a direct hit that disabled turret III and killed 48 men.

Less than a month later, Houston and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth (D29) were directed to proceed to Ceylon where they were supposed to attack Japanese naval supply lines. En route, the two ships unexpectedly encountered a Japanese invasion force resulting in the encounter now known as the Battle of Sunda Strait. Though outnumbered by the Japanese convoy, both ships persisted. In an ensuing melee of fire, one of the Japanese destroyers fired a spread of torpedoes that passed by the allied cruisers and sunk four of their own troopships. In the end, the Japanese forces proved too much for the wounded Perth and Houston. The final attack on these two cruisers sank first Perth and then Houston shortly before midnight on March 1, 1942.

It was during this abandonment of Houston that Commander Rentz entered the water and attained partial safety along with other crewmembers on a destroyed airplane's float. Aware of the extreme overcrowding, he attempted to relinquish his space and lifejacket to wounded survivors nearby, declaring “You men are young, I have lived the major part of my life and I am willing to go.” (Last Battle Station p. 204) No one would oblige the generous, fearless chaplain. After several attempts of leaving and being brought back by his shipmates, he uplifted them with prayers and songs until, ultimately, he succeeded in tying his lifejacket on a wounded sailor. Chaplain Rentz had less than one year to serve before retiring. He was one of 693 men who perished out of the original crew of 1,061 aboard Houston.

The Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate USS Rentz (FFG-46) is named in his honor.

• USS Houston official website ; 6 May 2002)
• USS Rentz official website
• O'Hara, Vincent. "Battle of Sunda Strait, 28 Feb. - 1 Mar. 1942"; 6 May 2002
• The United States Navy in the Pacific War 1941 - 1945

• Schultz, Duane P. The Last Battle Station : the Story of the U.S.S. Houston. New York : St. Martin's Press, c1985 ISBN 0-312-46973-X