Art Boudreau enjoyed speed and risk taking during his brief twenty-two year life.

Arthur Raymond Boudreau was born on May 6, 1922, in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, to Mr. and Mrs. William Boudreau. The Boudreau family also consisted of two other sons and one daughter. They arrived in Santa Cruz about 1936 and Arthur enrolled in Santa Cruz High School. He graduated in 1939 and worked for some time in the circulation department of the Santa Cruz Evening News.

Arthur loved his motorcycle and sports. At one time, he was involved in an accident that resulted in the breaking of both of his arms. Boudreau also enjoyed skiing and won the gold trophy of the Santa Cruz Ski Club.

On March 30, 1943, Art Boudreau enlisted in the US Army. He received his basic training at Camp Cooke in Kearns, Utah and in August was selected for the aviation flying (warrant) officer program being conducted at the Santa Ana, Air Base. After completing that phase of the program, he was sent to the Merced Army Air Base for his final training.

Art Boudreau had over 100 flying hours to his credit when his plane crashed on April 17, 1944, near Highway 140, eleven miles west of Merced, and he was killed. The remains of Cadet Arthur Raymond Boudreau were returned to Santa Cruz and buried in Holy Cross cemetery.

(AAIR; SCHSC Pg 6; SCSn April 18, 1944 1:6, April 22, 1944 8:3, Holy Cross Cemetery headstone)