Army Sgt. Nathan K. Bouchard

Died August 18, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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24, of Wildomar, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed on August 18 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee following a mine-assessment mission in Samarra, Iraq.

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Soldier killed in Iraq explosion

Associated Press

In high school, Nathan K. Bouchard was a 5-foot-5-inch “little bulldog” who bored through offensive lines and into backfields for the occasional sack.

“He probably weighed 135 pounds soaking wet,” said former football coach Mark Chandler. “He created havoc for the opposing teams. When you watched films, you could really see the guys cheating, trying to pull him down.”

Bouchard, 24, of Wildomar, Calif., died Aug. 18 in Samarra when a bomb detonated near his vehicle. He was based at Fort Stewart and was on his second deployment. Neighbors said Nathan was always active, shooting hoops for hours with other children in the neighborhood. He also loved to surf, hike and mountain bike.

“He was always happy,” said Steve Harding, a family friend. “I’d never seen him in a bad mood.”

Bouchard graduated from high school in 1999 and spent two years at Mt. San Jacinto College before enlisting. He often signed his letters home with “Esse quam Verdi” — Latin for “to be rather than to seem.”

He is survived by his parents, Alida and John.