Kenneth Boulier

One of the last survivors of the Battle of Corregidor in the Second World War, Kenneth Alexander Boulier, died at his home in Glen Burnie, MD, on Nov. 4th at the age of 91. A native of Cedar Buffs, Nebraska, son of George and Effie Boulier, Chief Warrant Officer Boulier served 21 years in the US Navy. Ken Boulier served aboard the USS Houston and the USS New Mexico and was a code breaker while stationed in the Philippines during WWII. In March 1942, he escaped Corregidor to Australia on the submarine USS Permit days before the Japanese took control of the island. The USS Permit was chased and depth charged several times by the Japanese and at one point was submerged for 22 1/2 hours before escaping. Ken helped decipher the Japanese transmissions that led to the shooting down of Admiral Yamamoto's plane on April 18, 1942. Yamamoto was the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet and the architect of the Pearl Harbor bombing. His death greatly benefited the Allied cause. While stationed in Australia, his life-long friend and fellow code breaker, William Tremblay, recognized the code word for "attack" and the code for Midway Island amidst a group of "junk" Japanese traffic. The code breakers were able to warn US Forces before the attack in June 1942. The Battle of Midway is one of the greatest Naval victories in history. Many American and Allied lives were saved and the Japanese were prevented from sweeping eastward toward the mainland of the United States. Boulier was awarded the Army Distinguished Unit Badge with oak leaf cluster The Good Conduct Medal, The American Theater National Defense Service Medal and The Phillippine Defense WWII Victory Medal. He retired from the National Security Agency at Ft. Meade in 1972. Boulier also became interested in lapidary while stationed on the island of Adak in Alaska in 1953. He became an internationally known carver and his cabochons were displayed for several years at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. He taught his craft for many years and was a multiple trophy winner in competitions sponsored by the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Kenneth Boulier died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family, including his wife of 61 years, Eileen O'Toole Boulier. He is also survived by their 8 children; Brian Boulier of Virginia Beach, Va., Patricia Rowan of Annapolis, Md., Pamela Chapman of Jupiter, Fl., Dianne Bailey of Bethesda, Md., Maureen Ashley of Marblehead, Ma., Kevin Boulier of Marriottsville, Md., James Boulier of Millersville, Md., Michael Boulier of Gambrills, Md.; 18 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Olson of Omaha, Nebraska, and predeceased by his brother, Marine S. Boulier. Ken Boulier was a member of The American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, The U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, The Chesapeake Gem and Mineral Society, The Gemcutters Guild of Baltimore, The International Ivory Society, and was a parishoner of St. Bernadette's Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to either of the two organizations listed; the organizations provide opportunites for adults with developmental disabilities.