H. A. Boucher
Encyclopedia
Henry Aristide "Red" Boucher, Jr. (January 27, 1921 – June 19, 2009) was the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
from 1970 to 1974. He had also served as mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska from 1966 to 1970, and in the Alaska House of Representatives
Born in Nashua, New Hampshire
to Henry Aristide Boucher, Sr. and Helen Isabel Cameron, Boucher's father died shortly after his birth from lingering effects of exposure to mustard gas in World War I at the Battle of Verdun
in 1916. His mother was one of the first female chief petty officer
s in the United States Navy
. He earned the nickname "Red" after he met President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
as a child who reportedly told him, "They ought to call you Red." in reference to his red hair. After his mother developed multiple sclerosis
, he and his brother were placed in St. Vincent's Orphanage in Fall River, Massachusetts
. Boucher enlisted in the Navy at age 17, served aboard the USS Enterprise
in the Pacific
during World War II as an expert signalman
and a meteorologist and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer
. He served during the Battle of Midway
and numerous other battles for a total of twenty years in the Navy, including a stint on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga
as chief petty officer for communications and meteorology.
Boucher and his family came to Alaska
, settling in Fairbanks
in 1958 after John F. Kennedy
, whom he campaigned for, told him there was great potential in the far north territory. He founded the Fairbanks Goldpanners
baseball team in the 1960s, setting up the roots of the Alaska Baseball League
. He served on the Fairbanks City Council before becoming mayor in 1966. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Alaska under the second administration of Governor William Allen Egan
, serving from 1970 to 1974. Afterwards, served in the Alaska House of Representatives
and later served on the Anchorage
Assembly. He also had an interest in telecommunications, sparked by the first Apple computers, and became known as a telecommunications whiz whose successes included a crusade to boost Internet access in remote Alaska villages. Boucher suffered a stroke in 2005 and died aged 88 on June 19, 2009 at his home in Anchorage.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
from 1970 to 1974. He had also served as mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska from 1966 to 1970, and in the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
Born in Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
to Henry Aristide Boucher, Sr. and Helen Isabel Cameron, Boucher's father died shortly after his birth from lingering effects of exposure to mustard gas in World War I at the Battle of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
in 1916. His mother was one of the first female chief petty officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
s in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He earned the nickname "Red" after he met President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
as a child who reportedly told him, "They ought to call you Red." in reference to his red hair. After his mother developed multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, he and his brother were placed in St. Vincent's Orphanage in Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
. Boucher enlisted in the Navy at age 17, served aboard the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
during World War II as an expert signalman
Signalman (rank)
Signalman was a U.S. Navy rating for sailors that specialized in visual communication. See Signaller for more about the roles of Signalmen.-U.S. Navy:A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication...
and a meteorologist and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
. He served during the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
and numerous other battles for a total of twenty years in the Navy, including a stint on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-3)
USS Saratoga was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the fifth ship to bear her name. She was commissioned one month earlier than her sister and class leader, , which is the third actually commissioned after and Saratoga...
as chief petty officer for communications and meteorology.
Boucher and his family came to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, settling in Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
in 1958 after John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, whom he campaigned for, told him there was great potential in the far north territory. He founded the Fairbanks Goldpanners
Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks
The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks are a collegiate summer baseball team which was founded in 1960 as an independent barnstorming team. The Pan-Alaska Goldpanners were charter members of the Alaska Baseball League at the league's inception in 1974. The Goldpanners play their home games at Growden...
baseball team in the 1960s, setting up the roots of the Alaska Baseball League
Alaska Baseball League
The Alaska Baseball League is an amateur collegiate summer baseball league, with six teams located in four Alaskan cities. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining....
. He served on the Fairbanks City Council before becoming mayor in 1966. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Alaska under the second administration of Governor William Allen Egan
William Allen Egan
William Allen Egan was an American Democratic politician. He served as the first Governor of the State of Alaska from January 3, 1959 to 1966, and the fourth Governor from 1970 to 1974...
, serving from 1970 to 1974. Afterwards, served in the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
and later served on the Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
Assembly. He also had an interest in telecommunications, sparked by the first Apple computers, and became known as a telecommunications whiz whose successes included a crusade to boost Internet access in remote Alaska villages. Boucher suffered a stroke in 2005 and died aged 88 on June 19, 2009 at his home in Anchorage.
External links
- Goldpanners web page Photo of Boucher, taken 1962, as he is being interviewed by Bill Walley of KFARKFARKFAR is a commercial radio station programming news/talk in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States, broadcasting on 660 AM. It airs Fox News Radio and carries national radio programs thru Compass Media Networks, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One, amongst others. Of the two AM news/talk stations...
.
