Sergeant Patrick McCaffrey, 34, of Tracy was killed in an ambush, near Balad, Iraq, on June 22 2004, at 11:45 AM, Iraqi time. 

Patrick was the first combat death since WW2 or 58 years history of the California National Guard's 579 Engineer Battalion from Petaluma. 

McCaffrey was ambushed By Iraqis soldiers that he was training and was hot multiple times with automatic weapons. 
The attack came from 3 directions, 8 bullets pierced through the sides of his "bulletproof" vest and his back. 
Even wounded, Patrick protected his fellow soldier, than collapsed next to Lt Andre Tyson. 

Patrick McCaffrey was attached to Alpha Company 579 Engineer Battalion. 
They are part of Task Force Tacoma, which is responsible for the security of LSA Anaconda. 
Patrick McCaffrey died from massive internal bleeding. 

Patrick was born on May 26 1970, at Stanford hospital, Palo Alto, CA. 

He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, graduated from Homestead High, he was the quarterback for his football team, the "Mustangs", later he attended De Anza College. 
He is the father of 2 young children, Janessa Marie, 3, and Patrick Junior, 10. 

Patrick joins the National Guard after 9/11 to serve the United States of America in a time of National crisis. 
Patrick worked as Manager for 13 years at Akins, in Palo Alto, he became General Manager of the Company before deployement to Iraq. 

"Even Though, Sergeant McCaffrey was relatively new to the Army, he had progressed quickly to a position of leadership and respect. He was a natural leader with his care for his fellow soldiers and the way others would look up to him for advice and follow his lead. He was a team leader, a position he was more than capable of handling. Sergeant Patrick McCaffrey's contribution to the company as a Combat Life Saver was incredible. He constantly was ensuring that all the other CLS's in the company had all the supplies in their aid bags and where ready. He looked after every one in the company, always asking how every one was doing and helping with their problems..." 

www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/4/5125 

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/072504I.shtml 

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/01292005Y.shtml