NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — Mayor Jon Mitchell and other elected officials rededicated Saulnier Square to a World War II veteran who died while serving in the Pacific on Sunday. Roland G. Saulnier was born in New Bedford and served as a second lieutenant in the Philippines during the war. He was killed in 1944 after being taken prisoner by the Japanese and the prisoner ship he was on was attacked. Saulnier Square, which is located at the corner of Ruth Street and Brock Avenue, was originally dedicated to him on July 4, 1946. The rededication took place on Oct. 27 as it would have been Saulnier’s 106th birthday. Members of his family also took part in the ceremony. “Roland Saulnier’s legacy is that of undaunted courage under unimaginably dire circumstances,” Mitchell said. “He fought with distinction in the defense of the Philippines after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and endured the horrors of the Bataan Death March, two years of captivity, and the depravity of a Japanese ‘hell ship.’ His sacrifice is an example of service future generations must continue to take to heart.” Categories: Massachusetts, New Bedford, News