Please click here to view a student eulogy for Wallace Boudrow recorded at Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, Jacksonville in 2026: https://youtu.be/Z4lXb-bLvjY

Biography

Early Life 
The Boudrow family began its second generation in the United States when Wallace Boudrow was born on March 29, 1920, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Alfred Thomas Boudrow and Helen Wallace Boudrow. His paternal grandparents immigrated from Canada, and his maternal grandparents immigrated from Ireland. His only sibling, a younger sister named Eleanor, was born in 1924. Boudrow's father, Alfred Boudrow, worked in construction as a mason and plasterer, and his mother, Helen Boudrow, was a housewife.

Neither of the Boudrow children completed college. Wallace Boudrow stopped attending school after eighth grade and did not pursue any further education outside the military. His sister, Eleanor Boudrow, finished high school at Arlington High School but died on February 22, 1944. 

Like many other boys in Somerville, Wallace Boudrow enlisted in the military as soon as he turned 18 on May 27, 1938. His first tour of service lasted until 1945.

Homefront 
Boudrow's hometown of Somerville, Massachusetts, was a small industrial Boston suburb of approximately five square miles with a proud military heritage. During the Civil War, 10% more than the required quota of men enlisted in the Union Armed Forces. Nine to ten percent of its population served in World War I.  Eleven percent of its population served in World War II. 

In 1926, Ford Motor Company opened a production plant in Somerville. During World War II, it provided vehicles to the Allied Powers. Other industrial locations in the town included a brick production plant and three large meat packing plants: John P. Squire Company, the North Packing & Provision Company, and the New England Dressed Meat and Wool Company. 

During the War, most Somerville residents participated in rationing, purchased war bonds, and signed pledges. The Fenway Victory Gardens spanned 7.5 acres and comprised 500 gardens. Conversely, there were pacifist groups, such as the Fellowship of Reconciliation Greater Boston Chapter, that would conduct sit-ins against the war in communities like Somerville. The Boston Herald Rumor Clinic, a column discouraging rumors that might erode morale, began to support the war effort. 

Women stepped up to fill vacancies left by men who went off to war.  They served as civilian air-raid wardens, shipbuilders, and factory workers.  They helped at places such as Fort Warren and Charlestown Navy Yard, becoming known as "sunshine girls." They brought treats to soldiers at the forts and hospitals and attended organized dances and other social events to boost the morale of soldiers stationed there.

Military Experience 
Boudrow enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 27, 1938. Following boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, Boudrow's duty stations kept him fairly close to home. He was stationed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, MBNAS Quonset, Rhode Island, and Quantico, Virginia.  He even spent six weeks at the 1940 World's Fair in New York. The theme of the Fair had been changed to "For Peace and Freedom," amid rising global conflict. Marines participated in ceremonial duties and represented the United States' military readiness.

Once the United States entered World War II, Boudrow was transferred to the 2nd Replacement Battalion in San Diego and later to the 1st Marine Division. He was deployed to the Pacific theater. As part of Motor Transport, he supported his unit by assisting with a wide range of missions. His responsibilities included working on Jeeps, tanks, planes, trucks, motorcycles, and other equipment, ensuring his unit's equipment remained in optimal condition. 

Later, during his stateside deployment, he was assigned to Slingerlands, New York, where he served as a billet First Sergeant. In this role, he oversaw the maintenance and operation of Jeeps, trucks, and motorcycles. Additionally, he oversaw cargo operations, ensuring essential supplies and equipment were efficiently transported to support his unit. His leadership and organizational skills were vital in supporting the logistical operations necessary for mission success.

After World War II, Boudrow served in the Marine Corps Reserve at Camp Lejeune. In September 1951, he was recalled to active duty.  His service included multiple tours in Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia, and at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he worked with the 1st Motor Transport Battalion, 1st Marine Division. 

Boudrow was honored with many medals during his service. These included the Presidential Unit Citation, World War II Victory, UN Service, Korean Service, National Service Defense, and four Good Conduct medals.

Gunnery Sergeant Boudrow remained on active duty in the Marine Corps until June 24, 1963. He continued in the Marine Corps Reserve until his retirement in 1971.

Veteran Experience 
Boudrow married his wife, Bessie, on January 22, 1945, while still on active duty. He and his wife had three children, two girls, one of whom was named Eleanor, after his late sister. The other was named Joan. They also had a son, Stephen.

After his service in Korea, Boudrow continued to serve his community as a firefighter with the Camp Lejeune Fire Department. The department was established in 1942 to provide aid to all communities on the base and in the surrounding areas. They also provide public safety education and fire prevention, including controlled forest fires. 

He became a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the New River Masonic Lodge. A 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason is a part of the Scottish Rite Free Masonry, a fraternity dedicated to understanding the core values of reverence for God, integrity, devotion to country, justice, tolerance, and service to humanity. 

Boudrow was also a lifetime member of the Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 208, and the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 16. Both organizations serve their communities through public service and advocate for the needs of service members and their families, often by providing financial assistance. In addition, services are available to veterans adjusting to retirement and civilian life.

Boudrow and his family first lived in Jacksonville, North Carolina, during his Korean War service, and he ultimately returned home in 1957. Besides working at Camp Lejeune, Boudrow’s wife, Bessie, volunteered with several organizations, including the Auxiliary organizations for Disabled American Veterans and the Fleet Reserve Association. 

Bessie also volunteered for the hospital, sharing her experiences surviving cancer and knitting caps for newborns. Their daughters attended North Carolina Universities and made North Carolina home.

Commemoration 
After 50 years in Jacksonville, Wallace “Bud” Boudrow and his wife moved to Greensboro, where he lived until his passing on April 23, 2011. He was laid to rest at the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery on April 27, 2011. His wife of 66 years, Bessie, passed away in 2016 and is interred with him. 

Boudrow served his country in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific theater during two wars. His legacy continued in the community as a firefighter and Veteran advocate. In addition, he is remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather.

This profile was researched by Ian Goldsborough, Steven Perada, and Karma Shippen, mentored by Lejeune High School teacher Ms. Patricia Robblee, as part of a Veterans Legacy Grant Program led by National History Day in the 2025/2026 academic year.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.


Bibliography

Primary Sources
Assembling Universal Carriers, Ford Motor Company Somerville Plant, Somerville, Massachusetts, 1943. Photograph. 1943. Ford Motor Company Photograph Collection, the Collection of The Henry Ford (64.167.833.P.78280.27). Accessed November 6, 2025. https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/290738#slide=gs-284954. 

“Elsewhere: Wallace Alfred (Bub) Boudrow.” News & Record, April 26, 2011. Newspapers.com (960969884). 

Fay Foto Service. Mayor Tobin's Children stake plot for victory garden and go at it like old timers. Left to right are Maurice, Jr., Carol Ann and Helen Louise. Photograph. c.March 1943. Boston Public LIbrary, Digital Commonwealth (22_10_000422_0013). 

“Fellowship of Reconciliation Will Hold Meeting Tonight; Newly formed peace group to hear talk by L.K. Hall on Cooperative Movement.” The Republican [Springfield, MA], June 5, 1942. Newspapers.com (10564829550). 

Massachusetts. Middlesex County. 1930 U.S. Census. Digital images. Ancestry. 

Massachusetts. Middlesex County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. Ancestry.

Massachusetts. Middlesex County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. Ancestry.

“Miss Boudrow, John Shepherd pledge vows.” Statesville Record and Landmark [Statesville, NC], February 22, 1969. Newspapers.com (9906556018).

“Survivors view cancer’s specter.” Jacksonville Daily News [Jacksonville, NC], June 3, 1990. Newspapers.com (1284347774).

Wallace A. Boudrow. U.S., Marine Corps Muster Roll, 1798-1958. Ancestry.
Wallace Alfred Boudrow, Freedom of Information Act Record, Department of the Navy, National Archives and Records Administration - St. Louis.
Wallace Alfred Boudrow, Official Military Personnel File (partial), Department of the Navy. National Archives and Records Administration - St. Louis.

Wallace Alfred Boudrow. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2020. Digital images. Ancestry.

Wallace Alfred Boudrow. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947. Digital images. Ancestry.

Secondary Sources

“Alfred Thomas Boudrow.” Find a Grave. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213998314/alfred_thomas-boudrow.

“Bessie Louise Bailey Boudrow.” Greensboro News & Record, April 16, 2016. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/greensboro/name/bessie-boudrow-obituary?id=19474647. 

“Bud Boudrow.” Jones Funeral Home. Accessed October 15, 2025. https://www.jonesfh.org/obituary/bud-boudrow.

Daugherty, Greg. “World War II ‘Rumor Clinics’ Helped America Battle Wild Gossip.” Smithsonian Magazine, March 6, 2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/world-war-ii-rumor-clinics-helped-america-battle-wild-gossip-180983883/. 

Doherty, Bob. “Eagle Feathers #31– the Last Armory.” The Somerville Times [Somerville, MA], July 24, 2013. https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/40632.

“Firefighters Prayer.” International Firechiefs Association. Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.iafc.org/topics-and-tools/resources/resource/firefighter-s-prayer. 

Forney, Ned.  “The Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.” U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea. Last modified October 17, 2018. Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.marfork.marines.mil/Media-Room/Stories/Article/Article/1665198/the-battle-of-the-chosin-reservoir/. 

“History of the Fenway Victory Gardens.” Fenway Victory Gardens. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://fenwayvictorygardens.org/history.

“Helen Marguerite Wallace Boudrow. Find a Grave. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213998404/helen_marguerite-boudrow. 

“Massachusetts during World War II.” Ancestry.com. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.ancestry.com/historical-insights/war-military/wwii/massachusetts-wwii.

“Motor Transport Division.” Last modified 2026. Accessed January 10, 2026. https://www.lejeune.marines.mil/Offices-Staff/Motor-Transport/. 

Roan, Dan. “The Making of Somerville: A Working History.” The Tufts Daily [Medford, MA], April 22, 2004. https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2004/04/the-making-of-somerville-a-working-history.

“Somerville Historical Fact of the Week - April 30.” The Somerville Times [Somerville, MA], Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/48579.  

“Somerville Historical Fact of the Week - June 12.” The Somerville Times [Somerville, MA], Accessed March 30, 2026. https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/133231. 

Stefon, Matt, and Thomas Henry O'Connor. 2019. “Boston” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/place/Boston.

Thacker, Joel D. “The History of the 1st Division through World War II.” Leatherneck, April 2021. Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/1stMarDivWorld.pdf.  

“USN Ships--USS Wharton (AP-7).” Ibiblio. Last modified December 6, 2007.  Accessed January 6,  2026. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-w/ap7.htm. 

“Wallace A. Boudrow.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, National Cemetery Administration. Accessed April 22, 2026. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/WALLACEABOUDROW/42BF60. 

“Wallace Alfred ‘Bud’ Boudrow.” Find a Grave. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165290676/wallace_alfred-boudrow.

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Willwerth, Lawrence. “Somerville’s Proud Tradition of Military Service.” The Somerville Times [Somerville, MA], November 12, 2014. https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/53832.

“Women at Fort Warren: World War II.” U.S. National Park Service. Last modified 2024. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/women-at-fort-warren-wwii.htm. 

“WWII Rationing in the United States.” Ancestry. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.ancestry.com/historical-insights/war-military/wwii/rationing-united-states-world-war-ii.


Wallace Boudrow in his Marine Corps uniform. Official Military Personnel File, National Archives and Records Administration.

Lejeune High School students honor Gunnery Sergeant Boudrow, March 17, 2026. Courtesy of Patricia Robblee.

Three students, two wearing Marine Corps JROTC uniforms, read a eulogy.

Gunnery Sergeant Boudrow’s Obituary. News & Observer, April 26, 2011.

Boudrow’s wife, Bessie, was a cancer survivor and volunteered at the local hospital. Jacksonville Daily News, June 3, 1990.

Newspaper article about Bessie Budrow's battle with cancer and volunteer duties at a local hospital.

Boudrow was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and volunteered to help other Veterans in transition.

The logo of the Disabled American Veterans organization.

Boudrow was a member of the Camp Lejeune fire department. Onslow County.

Gunnery Sergeant Boudrow's military awards. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. Freedom of Information Act Request, National Archives and Records Administration.

Boudrow’s 1945 draft registration card, signed on October 29, 1945. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. National Archives and Records Administration.

Wallace Budrow's draft registration card.

Gunnery Sergeant Boudrow's Record of Service, 1938-1940. Freedom of Information Act Request, National Archives and Records Administration - St. Louis.

Boudrow's enlistment photograph from his Freedom of Information Act Request. National Archives and Records Administration - St. Louis.

1930 US Census Report of the Boudrow family living in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. National Archives and Records Administration.

WALLACE A BOUDROW

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