By David Farmer,Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – Capt. Patrick Damon of Falmouth died Thursday of an apparent heart attack while serving with the 240th Engineer Group of the Maine Army National Guard in Bagram, Afghanistan.

The death was not related to hostile fire, according to Gov. John Baldacci, who announced the news of Damon’s death.

In addition to serving in the National Guard, Damon was a highly regarded figure in Augusta, where he has served in political and government positions.

For deployment to Afghanistan, Damon took leave from his job as the administrative director with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Before joining the PUC, he was a associate commissioner in the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and also served as the chief of staff for Pat Colwell when he was speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.

Speaking to reporters in his office, Baldacci was visibly shaken by the death

The governor said that he had worked closely with Damon and remembered clearly – and eerily – his departure for Afghanistan.

At the deployment ceremony in the spring, Damon’s children tearfully grasped onto their father, Baldacci said. “They’re such a close family. They didn’t want him to go.”

The governor said he had spoken to the family earlier in the day.

“It is a very difficult and devastating time,” Baldacci said. “I was personally close to Pat and his family. And as it has been with all the other families, this is something that cuts through all of us.”

Damon is the seventh member of the state’s Army National Guard to die while on deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan. Citing U.S. Defense Department policy, the Maine Army National Guard said it could not release additional information about Damon or his death.

“Pat was the kind of person who gave all of his effort to make things work. And he was always driven by what was good for the public,” Baldacci said. “He felt his dedication to both the Guard and … his legislative and administrative service was about trying to make things better.”

Damon, 41, was described around the State House as a dedicated and intelligent problem solver and a committed family man. He was married to Hildi Haley-Damon and had two children, a girl and a boy, according to several people who know the family.

“He was a wonderful person, very family oriented,” said Becky Wyke, commissioner of the Administrative and Financial Services and a colleague of Damon’s. “He loved politics and public service.”

While speaking of her friend, Wyke’s hand moved over her heart, “we’re all trying to grapple with this right now.”

Before becoming speaker of the House, state Rep. John Richardson, D-Brunswick, served as Democratic majority leader and got to know Damon through his work for Colwell.

“He was always concerned about others and was an excellent staff leader. He was committed to the betterment of Maine and improving people’s lives,” Richardson said. “His death is a tragic loss for his family and friends, which includes all of us fortunate enough to have worked with him in the Legislature.”

The governor said he will order flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of Damon’s funeral.

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