This Week in USBP History, Vol. 9

October 31 - November 6

1918

• On November 3, 1918, Frank Berkshire (The Father of the Border Patrol), submitted his final proposal for the creation of the Border Patrol.  In this proposal, Berkshire was instructed to submit absolute minimums.  He proposed a force of 264 Border Patrolmen for the southern border which would absorb all Mounted Watchmen.  This proposal would be approved by the Acting Secretary on November 12, 1918.  However, implementation wouldn't occur until 1924 after several years of interdepartmental meetings and once funding was received (pg 240).

1925

• In one of the earliest references to a Border Patrol intelligence unit, the District Director of the Detroit District wrote a memo to the Commissioner-General on November 3, 1925, concerning the excellent results of a sub-district's "so-called "Intelligence Division".
• On November 4, 1925, a vender write a memo to the Commissioner-General concerning Border Patrol and Immigrant Inspector uniforms.

1930

• On November 1, 1930, a gunfight occurred in El Paso between three Border Patrol Inspectors and a person known as "Chato".  This document contains a cover memo an a sworn statement of one of the Border Patrol Inspectors. Chato was wounded and is suspected to have died in Mexico due to his wounds.

1932

• In 1932, Frank Berkshire (The Father of the Border Patrol) was the Director of the Canadian Border District (which was the northern border Chief of the Border Patrol at the time).  On November 1, 1932, Berkshire wrote a memo to the Commissioner-General his concurrence for a new uniform coat.

1936

• It is believed that by 1936 it was known that portions of the Department of Labor were going to be transferred to the Department of Justice.  This memo, written November 2, 1936 by the Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), is his response to the the INS losing the Border Patrol, most likely in response to such a transfer.
  • They don't write like this anymore - In reply to your letter of the 27th ultimo, it is a rather difficult task to so untangle the strands that bind the Border Patrol to other branches of the Service into a single unit as to arrive at any accurate measure of added staff necessities with the Border Patrol arm of the Service removed.

1940

• On October 31, 1940, the Chief Patrol Inspector of the Being Bend Sub-district wrote a memo to the El Paso District Director containing his suggestions of outpost stations and their designs.

1998

• On November 5, 1998, the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry created the spec sheets for the USBP flag and USBP Pennant.  Both designs would be officially approved on June 11, 1999. 

Newton-Azrak Award Actions


2000
​Jesus E. De La Vega
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent 
El Centro Sector
On November 2, 1999 at about 11:20 PM, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jesus E. De La Vega was patrolling the border area along Interstate Highway 8 near Seeley, California. As he turned off the highway, he saw a huge white cloud of smoke covering the ramp.  Through the smoke, he was able to make out a vehicle that had just crashed, rolled over twice, and come to rest on its side. Flames shot out from the front passenger compartment and from under the hood.  
 
Looking for occupants, SBPA De La Vega spied a single male victim, later identified as a Bruce Allen Stanley, who was severely disoriented and desperately attempting to exit the vehicle.  Stanley could make no headway, unable as he was to move his right arm, which had been injured when the vehicle rolled over.  Agent De La Vega asked Mr. Stanley whether any other occupants were in the vehicle. The victim stated that he was the only one. As the flames became more intense, Agent De La Vega, oblivious to his own safety, attempted to open the door of the vehicle, but was initially beaten back by the smoke and heat. After a few more attempts, Agent De La Vega was finally able to pull open the door, release the man’s seat belt, and drag him to safety away from the vehicle, which by then was entirely engulfed in flames.  Agent De La Vega proceeded to administer emergency first aid to Mr. Stanley and make him as comfortable as possible. 
 
Next, he radioed for emergency services, and within minutes, units from the California Highway Patrol, Imperial County Fire Department, and Gold Cross Ambulance had responded. They treated Mr. Stanley for the injuries to his shoulder and arm and for smoke inhalation.  For his part, Agent De La Vega escaped injury. His selfless and heroic actions saved a life and are a true inspiration.



2019

Tony Miranda
Assistant Chief
Washington D.C.
Past Event

On November 1, 2007, in Wellton, AZ, Agent Miranda observed a house almost completely engulfed in flames. Without regard for his personal safety, he entered the structure through the front door and assisted a woman in a wheelchair to safety. He immediately reentered the house, located a double amputee elderly man, and led him to safety. At that point, Agent Miranda was informed that a mother and two children were still in the house. A third time, he entered through the front door only to find that the ceiling was fully engulfed and that fiery debris was falling on him. As he retreated outside, he was told that the room in which the mother and children were believed to be was on the rear, right side of the house. With the help of a neighbor, Agent Miranda dislodged an air-conditioning unit from the wall, creating an entry point into the room. For a fourth time, Agent Miranda entered the house to save people. He found the room to be full of black smoke, with such intense heat that breathing was nearly impossible. Again, he was forced to retreat. Once outside, Agent Miranda instructed the neighbor to use a nearby garden hose and to douse his uniform with water. For a fifth time, Agent Miranda entered the house. He found the room to be engulfed in flame, full of choking smoke and raining debris from the ceiling that was on fire. Over the next week, Agent Miranda would lose his eyelashes, eyebrows and much of his hair. The heat that he experienced inside the house was so intense that it cause the hair to become brittle and to break off. For his conspicuous heroism and extraordinary courage, he was awarded the Commissioner’s Meritorious Service Award for Valor and the Secretary’s Valor Award.  Agent Miranda’s actions brought great credit upon himself and the United States Border Patrol.
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