Background
Coughlin was born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts, the youngest of five siblings. His father had been a painting contractor until he decided to change his career to one that included history and literature.
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Jack Coughlin
Edit ProfileEducation
Coughlin enlisted in the Marines in 1985 and completed his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. He later attended Scout Sniper school.
Career
He had four older sisters. At a young age, Jack was temporarily blinded in his right eye (his shooting eye) when a sharp rock hit his eye, which had ricocheted from a nearby fight between two older boys. His eye eventually healed and his sight in the eye was 20/10.
At age 19, Coughlin decided to enlist in the Marine Corps.
His first experiences with operating firearms, including shooting a rifle, occurred during Marine Corps recruit training. Coughlin was also stationed at the Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines with Alpha Company, Marine Barracks Starboard Security Platoon, and later the Jungle Operations Branch.
Eventually, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 4th Marines, part of the 7th Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division. Coughlin was deployed with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines Weapons Company as a Scout Sniper during Operation Restore Hope.
Prior to the start of the attack the compound was known to have a ZPU-4 anti-air weapon and tanks.
Coughlin engaged the manned ZPU-4 and successfully dispatched the enemy, permitting the attack to be effective. Coughlin was deployed with this unit to Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 2003 invasion of Iraq with Basra. He spent some time with British troops in Basra, then fought with his unit north of Baghdad, and was present at the destruction of Saddam Hussein"s statue.
In Iraq, he received his second Bronze Star with valor device.
When he returned home from Iraq, he retired from the United States Marine Corps.
