Poulin found himself fighting on the front lines on various Pacific Islands in 1942. Eventually he was captured and became part of the infamous Bataan Death March that took place on April 9, 1942 as 76,000 Allied POWs (including 12,000 Americans) were forced to walk 60 miles under a blazing sun without food or water toward a new POW camp. It resulted in over 5,000 American deaths.
Poulin would eventually receive several medals for his service. In addition to the Purple Heart and the POW medals, Poulin was among the first to receive the Bronze Star. He received the Bronze Star in person from President Harry Truman.
