Veteran Spotlight: Navy Bosun's Mate Ray Boucher

BOURNE, Mass. — Ray Boucher served his country for eight years in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War as a bosun's mate, third class. 

 

This American patriot and combat veteran grew up in Brockton, and enlisted at the age of 17. 

 

"I knew Rocky Marciano and actually went to high school with his wife," he remembered.

 

At 100 years of age, he still possesses a remarkable memory.

 

He would do his basic training at Sampson Naval Training Station on Seneca Lake in Romulus, N.Y.

 

"I didn't understand why I had to salute all the time. It was a tough experience being away from home, you had a set schedule from the time you got up until the time you were sent to bed, then take you out at 2 a.m. for a march," he said. "I got out pretty good."

 

His first assignment would take him to Boston, then on a troop train to California, where he and other sailors would board the USS Healy, a Fletcher class destroyer, to Hawaii.

 

How were the holidays? "My first holiday was Thanksgiving, that was my first really good meal. Everything was special. I missed home but made it through," Boucher said. "Christmas is just another day when you're at sea." 

 

Was he ever afraid? "Oh yeah, I was on a 4-millimeter gun. We were in the 3rd Fleet under the command of Admiral [William "Bull"] Halsey," he said. "The kamikazes were terrible — they'd be all over the skies. You were shooting at them and they were shooting at you. Our pilots were up there fighting and you'd be at general quarters and sit there until they come ... You don't know what's going to happen."

 

Mentors? "No, I kept quiet and did my job."

 

"We would come into a port and load the ship up, and each division would get a day off," he said. "I joined the ship's baseball team and we played against the other ships in our fleet. Me and my buddy got chosen the stars of the day. It was a good day, then we got back on the ship and went to work again." 

 

How was the entertainment? "At night, we'd have a movie on the ship. They'd put up a screen and we'd go to the fantail of the ship and watch it." 

 

Boucher continued sharing his experiences.

 

"During the Korean War, I went to Greenland. I had to keep an eye out for icebergs. In World War II, we went from island to island battling the Japanese, and we won (He said with pride). I've been across the equator, went through the China Sea and ran into a typhoon. We were running low on fuel and it was very rough. We lost our executive officer over the side of the ship. We put the lights on the seas to try and locate him but it was so rough. We lost three ships that night ...

 

"I remember when the Japanese signed the surrender. We went to Yokosuka, Japan, then came home to California," Boucher remembered. "We flew a special flag. Anyone

that sees it, knows you're going home."

 

Thoughts on being a Navy veteran? "I went on the Honor Flight [in 2016], the best day of my life. People were so pleased, complimented me and thanked me for my service. The way they treated us, really meant a great deal that people really appreciated my service. I never talked about my service. I had two other brothers that served and out of nine children, we had three that served their country. I'm happy that we got through it without getting injured or killed."

 

Ray Boucher, an avid Patriots fan, thank you for your service to our great country in World War II and Korea.

 

Wayne Soares is the host of the popular new veterans cooking show, "The Mess Hall" that airs Saturdays on NBC's NECN at 9:30 a.m. He also entertains our troops around the globe and is the host and producer of the Vietnam veterans documentary "Silent Dignity – The Chapter That Never Ends." He can be reached at waynesoares1@gmail.com.