"En route" home, with the decryption of the Japanese plan to invade Midway, Lent was reassigned to the second of three submarine patrol lines defending the island. His was one of eighteen boats around the island, which (except for "Nautilus") accomplished nothing of consequence during the battle. Operating south of "Nautilus", Lent picked up an 06.15 contact report of a force already out of reach. At 08.37, he surfaced and headed for Midway in hope of intercepting Japanese in retreat, but was forced to dive by American aircraft (still likely to attack, as "Grayling" learned), and quickly surfaced again to continue.