David Cole Lang

BORN: February 25, 1984

BRANCH: USMC

KILLED: April 25, 2017

David Cole Lang, or Cole as his family called him, joined the USMC with Infantry, 2/7, based out of 29 Palms. He served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. 

Even though Cole did not like being in crowds, he loved being with his family. His family consisted of his wife of twelve years, Monique, their two children, his brother C.J., his mom Karen, and his step-dad Joel. His favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, when he would help his mother make deviled eggs and cranberry sauce. Cole was as skinny as a rail, but he could eat three dozen of those deviled eggs! He was the life of the party, and a man never met a stranger.

Camp Hamilton was a refuge for Cole, who would bring his kids to swing at the playground. He also brought his mother to the park for the first time. When rain threatened to flood Pierce Hall, Cole told his mom he needed to make sandbags to help out the camp. Cole was the kind of guy who would give the shirt off his back to help others.

Cole fought a hard battle both in war and at home. During Cole's first tour, he suffered a traumatic brain injury and was eventually diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Veterans Administration prescribed him opioids, which caused an addiction. While Cole physically came home from war, his mother says, "He never really came home." 

Cole fought the addiction. He sought help in Kern County with Dr. Zong at an alternative medical clinic. Eventually, Cole returned to the VA, but this time in Oregon. He was sober a year before the shooting.

On April 25, 2017, Cole visited Dr. Zong in Bakersfield. For reasons unknown, the doctor shot him. Cole's death was ruled "homicide due to a Post Traumatic episode." He was only 33 years old.

Cole's death was felt by his family, friends, and our Camp Hamilton community. Please sit on the bench next to his tree in the Bodfish section of the park. His mother is confident you will feel his joy and humor. "Cole may be buried at the National Cemetery," his mother says, "but his spirit is at Camp Hamilton."

Semper Fi, Cole.