Sgt David J. Coullard
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August 1, 2005
Sgt Casagrande, a scout sniper, read this eulogy:
I never thought I would be up here talking about friends of mine. I have felt each loss before, and could empathize with the other Marines for their fallen comrades, but could not feel the deep personal loss until now. Sgt Nathaniel Rock, Sgt David Coullard, Cpl Jeff Boskovitch, LCpl Nate Deyarmin, LCpl Roger "Dale" Castleberry, and LCpl Brian Montgomery were all friends who worked, played, loved, hated, complained, and shared with each other about everything. Each was tragically taken from us on August 1st by insurgents who hate us and our way of life. They died doing their job, protecting fellow Marines from insurgent mortarmen.
Nate Rock was a Marine who made his presence known wherever he was. Before the platoon left for 29 Palms, he was incorporated into my team, and I quickly came to respect him as a man and a Marine. After arriving in country, he led his own team. We soon became friends and came to know everything about each other, over the past year. He will not only be missed by myself and the platoon, but by his family that he constantly talked about, and his fellow police officers that he served with in Martin's Ferry, Ohio.
Dave Coullard came to us from 1/25. He wanted to do his part in Iraq, so he pressed, on his own, to get to 3/25 for deployment. He linked up with us in 29 Palms, and was quiet and reserved. He quickly fit in, and made friends. Dave worked as a union pipefitter in Connecticut, where he enjoyed the outdoors and outdoor life, hunting and fishing. Dave would always speak his mind, regardless of repercussions. If he didn't think something was right, he would fix it.
Jeff Boskovitch was the platoon clown. He had a great sense of humor, and would often imitate other people, and we loved to pick on him too. We would point out his unusually large head, but he would come right back at you with a remark. He proved himself to be a valuable asset to the platoon, and was a comforting, sometimes comical voice on the other side of the handset. Jeff was engaged to his girlfriend Shelley, and they had plans to marry when he returned.
Brian Montgomery was a smart, opinionated business owner who leaves behind a wife and son, and his brother, Eric, who is also in Weapons Company. I recall on numerous occasions after returning from a mission, Brian would find Eric to make sure he was okay. "Monty", as we called him, would argue a point he didn't even believe, just for the sake of debate.
Daniel "Nate" Deyarmin came to us, along with Montgomery, from Weapons Company. He brought with him his goofy smile and upbeat spirit. Deyarmin's goofy exterior, which earned him the usual dose of ribbings, contained the soul of a gentle, thoughtful man. He was always willing to undertake any task set before him, and did so without complaint or hesitation. He could be found during his off time reading some kind of "motorhead" magazine, and he was always talking specs about vehicles. "Nate" Deyarmin's smile will be missed.
Roger "Dale" Castleberry was only with our platoon a short time, he was out with Rock's team on their third mission on August 1st. Dale was a sharp, collected individual whose demeanor exuded his innate professionalism. He deployed with 4th Recon Battalion in OIF I, and was a civilian contractor in Iraq during OIF II. Dale often spoke of his wife, and for everyone who knew him to any degree, knows his intense feelings for her.
Although I could stand here and recall countless stories of these Marines and their exploits, I will close by saying this: The six individuals we mourn; Rock, Coullard, Bosko, Monty, Deyarmin, and Castleberry left their mark on me and the rest of their friends in the Scout Sniper Platoon and battalion. These six Marines wreaked havoc on the insurgents and did not die in vain. You can agree or disagree on whether we are making a difference here, and it doesn't really matter, but these six protected their fellow Marines by doing their mission: That is, killing insurgents. We mourn their loss, and pray for their families.
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