HONOR FIRST

  • Home
    • Award
  • For USBP Applicants
    • Academy
    • Class Schedule
    • Requirements
    • TESTING >
      • Books
      • CBP Official Guide
      • ALT
      • PT Standards
    • HOW TO SUCCEED >
      • The Hiring Procedure
      • Background Investigation >
        • Investigation Process
        • Polygraph
        • A Happy Investigator
        • NOPA >
          • NOPA Template
        • Fingerprints
      • Career Survival
      • FOIA
      • Main FAQ Page >
        • Hiring Process
        • Hiring Problems
        • Oral Boards
        • Important Phone Numbers
        • eQIP
        • Life at My New Station
        • Other Questions
        • Stupid Questions
    • COMPENSATION >
      • PAY
      • Health Insurance
      • Retirement
    • Communication >
      • Sector Recruiter Information
      • Contact Info
  • USBP Pages and Links
    • Firearms Qualification Course
    • Military Time Buy Back
    • Station MWRs
    • Uniforms, Tattoos, Grooming
    • Fast & Furious
    • U.S. Border Patrol Fallen
    • Honor First and Esprit de Corps
    • USBP Photo Galleries
    • U.S. Border Patrol History >
      • The Father of the Border Patrol
      • The U.S. Border Patrol’s Early Rank and Time-in-Service Insignia
      • Historical Documents
      • This Week in USBP History Blog
    • U.S. Border Patrol Honorary Awards
    • Upholding Honor First >
      • Newton-Azrak Award Recipients
      • USBP Purple Cross Recipients
      • USBP Commendation Award Recipients
      • USBP Achievement Award Recipients
      • USBP Significant Recognition Recipients
    • U.S. Border Patrol Authorized Devices
    • Border Patrol Stories
    • What's Important Now - Academy Podcast
    • Badges
    • Veterans
    • Tips for the Media
    • Links
    • Acronyms
    • Border Patrol Locations
    • Sector/Station FaceBook Pages
    • Ten Codes
  • Online Forums
    • Grammar
    • Rules
    • Agents Forum Password Request
  • Search
  • Home
    • Award
  • For USBP Applicants
    • Academy
    • Class Schedule
    • Requirements
    • TESTING >
      • Books
      • CBP Official Guide
      • ALT
      • PT Standards
    • HOW TO SUCCEED >
      • The Hiring Procedure
      • Background Investigation >
        • Investigation Process
        • Polygraph
        • A Happy Investigator
        • NOPA >
          • NOPA Template
        • Fingerprints
      • Career Survival
      • FOIA
      • Main FAQ Page >
        • Hiring Process
        • Hiring Problems
        • Oral Boards
        • Important Phone Numbers
        • eQIP
        • Life at My New Station
        • Other Questions
        • Stupid Questions
    • COMPENSATION >
      • PAY
      • Health Insurance
      • Retirement
    • Communication >
      • Sector Recruiter Information
      • Contact Info
  • USBP Pages and Links
    • Firearms Qualification Course
    • Military Time Buy Back
    • Station MWRs
    • Uniforms, Tattoos, Grooming
    • Fast & Furious
    • U.S. Border Patrol Fallen
    • Honor First and Esprit de Corps
    • USBP Photo Galleries
    • U.S. Border Patrol History >
      • The Father of the Border Patrol
      • The U.S. Border Patrol’s Early Rank and Time-in-Service Insignia
      • Historical Documents
      • This Week in USBP History Blog
    • U.S. Border Patrol Honorary Awards
    • Upholding Honor First >
      • Newton-Azrak Award Recipients
      • USBP Purple Cross Recipients
      • USBP Commendation Award Recipients
      • USBP Achievement Award Recipients
      • USBP Significant Recognition Recipients
    • U.S. Border Patrol Authorized Devices
    • Border Patrol Stories
    • What's Important Now - Academy Podcast
    • Badges
    • Veterans
    • Tips for the Media
    • Links
    • Acronyms
    • Border Patrol Locations
    • Sector/Station FaceBook Pages
    • Ten Codes
  • Online Forums
    • Grammar
    • Rules
    • Agents Forum Password Request
  • Search
Picture

This Week in USBP History, Vol. 52

8/28/2022

0 Comments

 

August 28 - September 3

PicturePersonal coin for Chief of the Border Patrol Raul Ortiz
Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  
 
Let me start this update with a brief story...  
 
On Friday, August 26, 2022, I happened to be in Washington DC.  I had to go to a building called the National Place.  It's across the street from the Ronald Reagan Building (RRB) where USBP HQ is located.  The RRB has a parking garage that is convenient to use.  As I finished parking my truck in the RRB, I checked my phone and saw that I had an email from Chief of the Border Patrol Raul Ortiz.  In the email he asked me to give him a call about the "...awards issue I had raised before I retired".  He was referencing nominations for past events that he had rejected, disapproving 370 employees from receiving USBP Honorary Awards.
 
Of course, I immediately called him, let him know I was in the RRB and suggested I come to his office if he had the time. I think he may have been just as surprised that I was in the RRB as I was to receive his email.
Five minutes later, I was in his office!
 
Chief Ortiz began by telling me that he had watched a recent Medal of Honor presentation where several Vietnam veterans were recognized decades after their qualifying actions.  He saw how the presentation emotionally touched both the recipients and everyone witnessing it.  He told me that it reminded him of the award nominations that he had disapproved in 2020 and he realized that he had made a mistake.  
 
Chief Ortiz said that he wanted to contact me and personally let me know that he had reconsidered his past decision.  That he had directed that all of the disapproved nominations be revived to go through the process to receive recognition.  He said that there were too many to do at once.  Therefore, they would be considered and presented in phases.
 
I spent about 20-25 minutes in his office and left with one of his personal coins.  
 
I commend him for having the strength to change his decision, and for providing an example of valuing the workforce that should be emulated in the sectors.
 
Borrowing from my time in the U.S. Navy - Bravo Zulu ​Chief Ortiz!

Moving along, you know, I think every week is a huge week in USBP history.  This week is no different!
 
There are documents from 1918 that show the authorized and actual strength of the Mounted Watchmen.  There's a 1924 document where the Commissioner-General recommended changing the title of ​Patrol Inspectors to Junior Immigrant Inspectors.  
 
From Joe Banco's HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II, we have information about the "Boatlift" in 1953, USBP canines being used in 1955, and the termination of the Border Patrol Air Transport Operation in 1972.  (Thank you Joe!).
 
We celebrate the heroism of four Newton-Azrak Award recipients on the anniversaries of their actions.
 
We also remember two of our fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths.
 
Have a great week!
 
Cliff
PS - 
  • As an open and continuous invitation to current and former USBP employees, I am always accepting photos to post in the USBP Photo Galleries and in the Upholding Honor First pages.  I sure would appreciate you visiting those pages and sending me anything that you think I could post (just attach them to a reply to this email).
  • As always, make sure to explore all of the hyperlinks to documents and pages.
  • Finally, please forward this blog to whomever you think may enjoy it.


​Esprit de Corps
 
The workplace climate resulting from a combination of organizational pride and employee morale.
  • Organizational pride is the positive feeling experienced by employees from being part of a meaningful team that is rich in history, tradition and culture.
  • Employee morale is the feeling experienced by employee based in part on their perception of:
    • Being valued by the organization,
    • Fairly compensated, and
    • Performing meaningful work.
 
Esprit de corps is reinforced through the shared goals, mission and values of the organization and its employees.

The definition turns Esprit de Corps into a simple formula and defines parts that comprise organizational pride and employee morale.

Esprit de Corps = Organizational Pride + Employee Morale

Esprit de Corps is the key to a healthy organization and engaged employees.

​Honor First is foundational to the Border Patrol's organizational pride and integral to its Esprit de Corps.

Documents/Events

​
1918
  • Two documents from 1918 have been found where the Commissioner-General responded to a request concerning staffing levels along the Mexican border.  The document from September 3, 1918 shows authorized numbers and the document from September 4, 1918 shows actual numbers.
     
    The documents specify that there were 68 Mounted Watchmen employed but 84 authorized.  Mounted Watchmen were also known as Mounted Guards and Mounted Patrol.  It is unknown and unverified where the "maximum strength of 75 watchmen" quote originated.  The September 3rd document is the best evidence yet located that indicates the maximum strength of the mounted force (68 Watchmen).
     
    ​The September 3rd document
    The September 4th document 
1924
  • On August 30, 1924, the Commissioner-General sent a memo to the Second Assistant Secretary in the Department of Labor that began, "A question has arisen concerning the source of authority, if any, possessed by officers connected with the border patrol service who have been given the designation of Patrol Inspector."  By law, authority rested with employees who had the title "Immigrant Inspector" who were paid more than Border Patrol Inspectors.  In order that Border Patrol Inspectors might receive legal authority without being paid more, the Commissioner-General proposed to resurrect a plan that was used in 1913 for Mounted Watchmen, and to rename Border Patrol Inspectors, Junior Immigrant Inspectors.
1931
  • On August 31, 1931, Chief of the Border Patrol Ruel E. Davenport (1878-1961) responded via a memo to the National Rifle Association.  The response mention that the Border Patrol shooting team article in The American Riflemen (see page 36 of 50), and that the Border Patrol was unable to send a team to compete in Camp Perry, Ohio due to "economical reasons".
  • On September 1, 1931, Commissioner-General Harry E. Hull (1864-1938) sent a memo to the Commissioner of Immigration for the Montreal District (District #1) concerning firearms and competing in Camp Perry, Ohio in 1932.
    • A "Commissioner of Immigration" was one of two titles used for people who were in charge of and immigration district.  The other title was, "District Director".
  • On September 2, 1931, Chief of the Border Patrol Ruel E. Davenport (1878-1961) wrote a memo to Bert R. Landis of the Bureau of Immigration concerning, "...draft of revised specifications tor Border Patrol uniforms."
    • The suggestions provided by Davenport would be incorporated into the Border Patrol's second uniform policy General Order 179.
1953
  • As part of the deterrent effort and interior repatriation program, the INS and U.S. Border Patrol implemented a “Boatlift” from Port Isabel, Texas to Tampico and Veracruz, Mexico beginning in 1953. Transporting Mexican nationals by Boatlift as part of interior repatriation was seen as a more economical, timely, and “cleaner” option than Bus or Train-Lifts for interior repatriation by the Mexican government. Three Mexican flagged vessels with Mexican crews were used for the Boatlift: the S.S. Emancipation, S.S. Mercurio, and S.S.Veracruz. The first “Boatlift” repatriation left Port Isabel, Texas, on September 3, 1953, with 800 Mexicans aboard the S.S. Emancipation. The Boatlift was responsible for repatriating 2,000 illegal aliens a month, with a total of 49,503 deported between September 3, 1953, and August 25, 1956, when the Boatlift was terminated.
    • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco​​
1955
  • The Mexican Government began complaining to the Department of State about the use of canines by the Border Patrol, not based on actual incidents with their nationals, but because of news reports and some of the verbiage used in the reports. Specifically mentioned in a Diplomatic Note dated August 31, 1955 was the term “trapping” used in a news report. Based on the article, the Mexican Government claimed that the Border Patrol was “hunting down and guarding” Mexican nationals with dogs and that the practice had “discriminatory appearances”
    • ​​From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco
1972
  • In FY 1972, the INS made the decision to terminate the Border Patrol Air Transport Operation in favor of “more cost effective” bus transportation. Alien transport requiring air services would be contracted out or carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service’s new National Prisoner Transportation System, later to become the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS). The final flight for the Border Patrol Air Transport fleet occurred on September 1, 1972, when Convair N1179 landed and was declared excess property by the General Services Administration. Twelve transport aircraft were used between 1954 and 1972, accumulating 78,859 flight hours and 330,073,133 passenger miles.
    • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco​
2019
  • On August 29, 2019, the USBP issued Interim Wear Guidance for U.S. Border Patrol Honorary Awards ​that authorized the following to be worn on Ike Jackets, dress shirts and rough duty uniforms (see the table below):
    • Newton-Azrak Award
    • USBP Purple Cross
    • USBP Commendation Medal
    • USBP Achievement Medal
    • USBP 75th Anniversary Medal
Picture

​Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries

​Follow this link to see examples of USBP employees Upholding Honor First.
  • An organization’s values are codified in its awards system. Recognizing the achievements, service and heroism of employees is important.  It is critical for those in positions of leadership to value the workforce.  Awards are a fundamental manner for leaders to demonstrate appreciation to the workforce for upholding the organizational values. – U.S. Border Patrol Honorary Awards


​2002
​

Jered Bacon
Border Patrol Agent
Tucson Sector
Robert M. Lawler
Border Patrol Agent
Tucson Sector
On August 31, 2001, at about 1:15 a.m., while patrolling the border, Border Patrol Agents Robert M. Lawler, Jered Bacon, and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Ed Tracy noticed an apartment building fire at 1850 Patagonia Highway near Nogales, Arizona.  The agents immediately called for the Nogales Fire Department.  The fire spread so quickly that the building was engulfed in flames without warning to the occupants.  Realizing that the Nogales Fire Department would not arrive on time, and being the only individuals in the area, the agents took immediate action.  Without regard for their own safety, the agents risked their lives to evacuate the building.  Most of the occupants were sleeping in their beds at the time of the fire.  By the time the Nogales Fire Department and the Nogales Police Department arrived, the agents had extracted all 22 occupants from the building, which by then was totally engulfed in flames.

 
 
2022

Ruben Gonzalez - photo, photo 2, award certificate, award set
Border Patrol Agent
San Diego, CA
On September 1, 2021, at approximately 1:30 PM, beyond the call of duty, Border Patrol Agents Ruben Gonzalez and Christian Llamas entered a sewage contaminated area of the Pacific Ocean at great personal risk to save a swimmer facing certain death by drowning. After swimming approximately 50 yards through battering waves, BPA's Gonzalez and Llamas reached the exhausted swimmer and pulled him to shore, saving his life. BPA's Gonzalez's and Llamas' actions brought great credit upon themselves and the United States Border Patrol.


Christian Llamas - ​photo, award set
Border Patrol Agent
San Diego, CA
On September 1, 2021, at approximately 1:30 PM, beyond the call of duty, Border Patrol Agents Ruben Gonzalez and Christian Llamas entered a sewage contaminated area of the Pacific Ocean at great personal risk to save a swimmer facing certain death by drowning. After swimming approximately 50 yards through battering waves, BPA's Gonzalez and Llamas reached the exhausted swimmer and pulled him to shore, saving his life. BPA's Gonzalez's and Llamas' actions brought great credit upon themselves and the United States Border Patrol.

USBP Fallen

As of May 16, 2022, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 152* fallen.
Titles:
  • 3 Mounted Watchmen fell before 1924 and are carried as Border Patrol fallen
  • 48 Border Patrol Inspectors fell between 1924 and 1970
  • 100 Border Patrol Agents have fallen since 1970
  • 1 Enforcement Analysis Specialist
The names that appear below hold a place of honor. They have made the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to fulfill the oath each officer took to protect and defend the United States of America.

The facts regarding each officer are presented without major editing of the "language of the day" found in the reports detailing the circumstances of each event. This is done to provide the reader an association with historical timeframes.

Employees who died in the line of duty due to being exposed to deadly illnesses will not have the cause of death listed.

*With the exception of two of the fallen immediately below, all names are listed (or in the process of being included) on the official Honor Roll of U.S. Border Patrol Fallen and inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.  The U.S. Border Patrol should fix these discrepancies. HonorFirst.com honors both of the fallen.
  • Joe R. White - He is recognized as officially fallen by the U.S. Border Patrol but his name is not inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial.
  • John Charles Gigax - He is not recognized as officially fallen by Customs and Border Protection or the U.S. Border Patrol. He is remembered by all except his own agency with his name is inscribed on the:
    • National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial (see this link),
    • Officer Down memorial Page (see this link), and
    • Texas Peace Officer's Memorial (see this link).
​1950

Michael T. Box
Date of Birth:                     August 4, 1901
Entered on Duty:               November 25, 1926
Title:                                  Airplane Pilot
End of Watch:                   August 29, 1950
Details:
Just after dawn on August 29, 1950, Airplane Pilot Michael T. Box was patrolling by plane in the irrigated farm area about 20 miles north of El Paso, Texas, searching for aliens who had walked through the desert at night and were attempting to get away to the north through the upper Rio Grande Valley. Pilot Box was working with two ground crews who were in radio-equipped jeeps. The operation had netted several aliens and others were being sought when the engine of the aircraft stopped and the plane crashed. It burst into flames; however, fellow officers were able to remove Pilot Box from the aircraft within minutes after the crash occurred. Artificial respiration was commenced immediately and was continued until Pilot Box was pronounced dead by a doctor who lived nearby.
 
Investigation into the accident revealed that the motor of the aircraft ceased apparently due to difficulty in the fuel system. Pilot Box maintained control of the plane as it lost altitude and maneuvered the aircraft into position to make an emergency landing in an irrigation ditch. The aircraft struck a submerged object on the canal bottom upon impact. Pilot Box's seat strap was broken and he was thrown with terrific force into the wheel and instrument panel. He died instantly as his chest and skull were crushed, his jawbone was broken in two places, and both shoulders were broken.
 
Gravesite​ ​
 

2021

Chad E. McBroom
Entered on Duty:          February 7, 1997
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               August 29, 2021
Details:
Agent McBroom entered on duty on February 7, 1997, as part of the 329th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Tucson Sector Special Operations Detachment in Arizona. The circumstances of his passing were reviewed by an executive panel and the CBP Commissioner who determined that this death occurred in the line of duty.  He is survived by his wife Magaly; children: Jackielynn, Kaya, and Reagan; and parents: Don and Sherry. 
 
Gravesite​
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Help spread the word!

      Enter your email address to receive notifications of new blog posts.
    Submit

    Clifford Gill

    Blog author, retired U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief and, current U.S. Border Patrol employee advocate.

    ​Read more about Cliff here.


    Ray Harris

    Site founder and owner, former Senior Patrol Agent and retired Immigration Special Agent.

    ​Read more about Ray here.


    Joseph Banco

    U.S. Border Patrol historian and retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent.

    ​Read more about Joe here.


    To optimize mobile viewing, only one blog per page will be visible.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021


    I prefer that you leave comments.  However, if you wish to contact me, please do so by emailing Cliff@HonorFirst.com.

All HonorFirst.com web pages and documents are copyright 2017 - 2023 by Ray Harris.  All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: 
​HonorFirst.com is in no way affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security,
Customs and Border Protection, or the US Border Patrol.
The US Border Patrol is an equal opportunity employer.