James E. McCabe
Agency patch
Officer

James E. McCabe

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Accident
End of Watch September 1, 1978
Age 34
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 7801
The Vigil Panel 120 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Jim McCabe and Officer Gayle Wood were killed when their helicopter struck a power line support tower, which was not visible in the darkness. They were finishing up their air patrol around 7:30 p.m. when the accident occurred near Castaic Lake on I-5. Officer McCabe had served with the California Highway Patrol for seven years and had been a helicopter observer for six months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, children, mother, brother, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer McCabe gave the California Highway Patrol 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer McCabe.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 1, 1978
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 7801
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

James is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1978, 78 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 30th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 34. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. James had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer James E. McCabe

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch September 1, 1978

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-W

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