Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!
 
This week I'd like to write a little about employee retention.  Let me start with some points of reference.

• The Patrol had a huge hiring increase from 2005-2011. Increasing its manpower by 10,180 agents, nearly doubling its strength!  Here's the staffing report (1992-2020).
• Before retiring, I had been told that agents were retiring within two years of becoming retirement eligible.  I've been informed that this statistic has worsened.
  • I retired at 51 years old, 15 months after becoming retirement eligible and about 6 years before reaching my mandatory age.
• I'm told that projections indicate that 2027-2032 that the Academy will not be able to keep pace retirements even if each class is at 100% capacity with a 100% graduation rate.
  • These retirement spike projections are due to the 2005-2011 hiring push.
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Patrol's mother agency, is consistently in the bottom 10% of the entire federal government as measured by the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). The Patrol owns approximately 40% of those horrible scores.  
  • CBP was 419 out of 432 subcomponent agencies in the 2021 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings which places them in the bottom 5%!

 
So, employee retention is a problem for the Patrol and it's going to become far worse!  This problem is exasperated due to the long-term dissatisfaction of the workforce as reflected in FEVS scores, significant spikes in hiring in the mid-2000s and a lack of meaningful initiatives to retain employees.
 
Recently, I was told of a virtual town hall that had occurred where the Patrol's senior leaders were asked about poor employee retention rates.  HQ's response was that retention bonus funding had been requested but not approved.  All of the studies that I have read stated that when an employee perceives that they are being paid fairly, that giving bonuses or raises as a method of addressing morale problems will merely prolong the inevitable.  The bonuses will NOT fix morale, they will remain dissatisfied and will leave.  The same holds true for employee retention bonuses, see below:

• The biggest problem with a retention bonus is that there's no evidence that they're effective. Bonuses have a lot of issues, and as it turns out, they are rarely more attractive than whatever outside reason the employee has to leave. Bonuses are one-time payments and don't foster long-term loyalty. Source
• Many HR professionals are anti-ERB (employee retention bonus), largely because they are expensive and the HR experts believe they are not particularly effective in actually reducing turnover. In addition, some HR professionals claim poorly designed retention bonus programs actually increase employee turnover. Source
• In summary, I would advise any organization that is considering retention bonuses to explore other options instead. Retention bonuses are expensive and usually an ineffective subsidy for good leadership. They typically create higher staff turnover and have many undesirable impacts on productivity, recruiting and morale. Source

 
The USBP is solid at responding to an employee crisis with the Chaplains, Peer Support and Honor Guard.  The Patrol is stepping up its resiliency initiatives to provide the workforce with better techniques for coping with personal challenges and stress. When employees have an emergency, we leap into action for their benefit and graciously accept assistance from our friends at the Border Patrol Foundation.   
 
Where great opportunities for improvement for the USBP exists, is in valuing the workforce on a day by day basis (not just during a crisis). Doing better for the workforce on a daily basis is what will have impacts on attrition/retention, FEVS and mission sustainment/accomplishment.  Things like communication (listen and share information better), employee friendly policies, appropriate recognition (my personal favorite), fair discipline, etc...  

In summary, the Patrol is putting forth great effort in recruiting new employees, and at responding to employees in crisis.  Awesome and worthy work. However, the Patrol is lacking in retention initiatives.  To address retention issues, I strongly recommend against ineffective and expensive retention bonuses.  I believe the keys to improving retention numbers lay within improvements:

• Leadership
  • Don't be the a$$hole
  • Have a bias for the workforce
• Organizational culture
  • Define Honor First and make it an organizational standard.  Such a definition could be longer as in this document or in this site, or it could be brief yet powerful as the U.S. Marine Corps does with Semper Fidelis:
    • Semper Fidelis: Latin for “always faithful,” Semper Fidelis symbolizes the lifelong commitment held by every Marine for the Corps and America, a promise reciprocated by the Corps to all Marines. 
  • Recognize that the Patrol's values are codified in its awards system and increase their presentation to the worthy act of the workforce.

 
What another great week in USBP history!  This week starts with the Father of the Border Patrol's final proposal to create the USBP in 1918 (and it was approved but not acted upon). We have uncertainty of the authority of Patrol Inspectors in 1924 and the earliest reference of which I am aware to a Border Patrol Intelligence unit in 1925.  We also have the finalizations of the spec sheets of USBP Flag and Pennant by the U.S. Army institute of Heraldry in 1998.
 
We remember two Border Patrol heroes on the anniversaries of the actions leading them to being recognized with Newton-Azrak Awards.
 
We also remember three of our fallen on the anniversaries of there deaths.
 
Enjoy the blog and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

Documents/Events

1918

• On November 3, 1918, future Chief and Father of the Border Patrol Frank Berkshire (1870-1934), 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).

1924

• This October 30, 1924 memo illustrates the confusion concerning the authorities of Border Patrol Inspectors (BPI).  Concerning BPI's enforcing Prohibition and Customs laws, the United States Attorney writes, "Whether the immigration officer should assist in the enforcement of the other two laws above mentioned, is to my mind, a question of policy to be decided by your chief superior officer."  However, with the passage of the Immigration Act of 1925, BPI's were given law enforcement powers (see Sections 235 and 287, (sound familiar?)).  Further, with the implementation of General Order 63 on March 29, 1926, the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Labor and the Commissioner-General authorized Immigration and Border Patrol Officers to enforce laws other than immigration laws.

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.
  
  • Patrol Inspector Richard R. Coscia
    
    • Coscia would leave the Patrol and later be convicted of impersonating a federal officer in 1931.  He used his Border Patrol uniform to stop a person that was smuggling alcohol.  He told the smuggler to run away, stole the alcohol and was subsequently arrested.
      
  • Patrol Inspector Charles E. Gardiner (1903-1995)
    
  • Patrol Inspector Curtis D. Mosley

 
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 one of the proposals 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

• In this October 30, 1940 memo, the Chief Patrol Inspector Carson Morrow (1896-1959) of the Tucson Sub-district writes his boss, the District Director of the El Paso District, recommending locations to create Border Patrol "outposts" and includes a diagram of the facilities.
  
• On October 31, 1940, the Chief Patrol Inspector Earl Fallis (1894-1977) of the Being Bend Sub-district wrote a memo to the El Paso District Director containing his suggestions of outpost stations and their designs.

1959

• After Fidel Castro succeeded in taking over the Cuban Government in January 1959, anti-Castro Cubans and, in some cases, U.S. citizens, used Florida airports to carry out hostile activity against Cuba, thereby causing embarrassment to the U.S. November 1, 1959, the U.S. Attorney General was directed to prevent the departure of persons, including by air, from the U.S. to Cuba, who appeared to be departing for the purpose of starting or furthering civil strife in that country. The responsibility for preventing departure of unauthorized flights was assigned to the Border Patrol.
  
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco

1998

• On November 5, 1998, the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry finalized the spec sheets for the USBP flag and USBP Pennant.  

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.

2006

David N. Webb
Date of Birth:                November 24, 1970
Entered on Duty:          February 23, 2004
Title:                             Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:              November 3, 2006
 
Details:
On November 3, 2006, Border Patrol Agent David N. Webb was enroute to his normal patrol duties on the Tohono O’odham Nation within the Ajo Station Area of Responsibility. At approximately 5:18 p.m., Agent Webb was involved in a single vehicle accident. Border Patrol Agents working nearby responded to assist Police and emergency medical services personnel at the scene of the accident. Agent Webb did not survive the injuries sustained from the accident.
 
Agent Webb was 36 years old and was a graduate of the 580th session of the Border Patrol Academy. He served his country as a member of the 186th Infantry in the Oregon Army National Guard, where he saw service in the Sinai Desert as a member of a United Nations Peace Keeping Force from May 2002 to February 2003.

Burial Details Unknown
 

2012

David R. Delaney
Date of Birth                 September 5, 1968
Entered on Duty:          December 12, 2002
Title:                             Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:              November 2, 2012
 
Details:
On November 2, 2012, Border Patrol Agent David R. Delaney collapsed and died while patrolling on foot near Big Bend National Park in Texas.
 
Agent Delaney entered on duty as a member of the 536th academy session on December 12, 2002. Following his graduation, he was assigned to the Calexico Station in the El Centro Sector. He then transferred to Houlton and Grand Forks Sectors before settling in at the Big Bend National Park Sub-Station of Alpine Station in the Big Bend Sector in 2011.
 
Agent Delaney is survived by his wife and three children.

​Gravesite​
 

2021

Anibal A. Perez
Entered on Duty:           June 26, 2006
Title:                              Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               November 5, 2021

Details:
Agent Perez entered on duty on June 26, 2006, as part of the 625th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Ajo Station in the Tucson Sector, 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 Fawna; children: Isabella, Andre, and Milan; parents: Anibal and Dora; and sister: Tara.

Cremated

Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  
 
Before I start the intro, let me extent a huge thank you to Joe Banco.  He shared over 1,000 Border Patrol photographs with me and gave me permission to post them in the Honor First Photo Galleries.  I updated every gallery with his photos.  Visit the Honor First Photo Galleries!
 
If you think about it, researching history is very similar to investigating a crime which is to say there is a general understanding of what happened but many of the details are missing.  Further, the evidence that is discovered during the investigation may reshape and sometimes entirely change the initial perspectives.
 
Folklore and inaccurate history are created when the gaps of the unknown are filled with inaccurate and/or untrue narratives that are presented as fact.  All of us know that it is human nature to fill the unknown with what make sense in the absence of information.  That is usually done without any bad intent or malice. Examples of Border Patrol folklore and inaccurate history include:

• Jefferson Davis Milton (1861-1947) was the first Patrol Inspector,
• The Border Patrol was created by law,
• Patrol inspectors were required to provide their own horses and firearms,
• Detroit was the first sector and/or station,
• El Paso was the first sector and/or station,
• Camp Chigas is still standing in Mexico,
• Etc, etc, etc...

(By the way, all of those subjects are addressed in the HonorFirst History Page)​
 
In the past decade, much of the Patrol's historic gaps have been filled with quality research at the National Archives and by using other reputable sources.  Even then, some gaps exist and logical inferences must be made.  When I use an inference as I write about history you'll see me use the phrases, "indications are" or "it is believed".  Joe Banco will be even more direct when he fills in the gaps as when he wrote (emphasis added):

• Officially, the initial Border Patrol Stations in the first 30 Border Patrol Sub-Districts (later to be renamed Sectors) were stood up on the same date, July 1, 1924, but it is rumored that Detroit District Inspector in Charge Ruel Davenport ordered the Detroit Station to be opened and renamed in mid-June 1924, although no records could be found to verify it.
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco
  • I should note that after Joe had written his book, two additional sub-district were discovered.  Meaning that the USBP began with 32 Sub-districts.  See the HonorFirst History Page​ for a listing and the historical documents.

​
Joe and I allow the evidence found in the old documents to drive the narratives we write, even when the folklore and/or inaccurate history may be more appealing.  We always let truth to trump appeal.  When we fill in the gaps, we do it based on our opinions which are anchored in significant research and study.
 
Joe and I know, more than most, the challenge and difficulty of correcting folklore and inaccurate history.  I have been met with anger for spouting what some considered to be Border Patrol blasphemy and threatened with Border Patrol hell.  Some folks couldn't believe that Jeff Milton was neither in the Patrol nor a Patrol Inspector.  Other folks were severely offended when I put El Paso's Where the Legend Began phrase in a correct historical context (see the HonorFirst History Page).
 
Joe and I do not put forth such effort for monetary gain.  Joe is not showered with riches due to book sales (which you absolutely should purchase), and HonorFirst.com is not monetized.  Joe and I enjoy the discovery and the sharing of the knowledge that we acquired about an organization of which we care deeply.
 
However, a single post to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter from an official social media account can destroy hundreds of hours of careful and tedious research.  Such posts perpetuate folklore and inaccurate history, concealing the research that has proven that much of the Patrol's history may not be as spectacular or sensational as originally thought, but is undoubtedly far richer and interesting.  And more importantly, such perpetuation damages organizational pride.
 
Last week, the photo to the right was launched from several of the Patrol's official social media accounts, perpetuating folklore and inaccurate history. Directly addressing the post's claims:

• There was not a first station, but many first stations. Just like there wasn't a first female Border Patrol Agent, but five first female agents that graduated with Class 107 in 1975.
• No official Immigration Service documents have been discovered in the National Archives that support the popular claim that there were more Patrol Inspectors assigned to the Northern Border to address prohibition.  We don't know why more inspectors were assigned to the northern border.  This file contains an April 30, 1924 memo and it responses to the question of how many Patrol Inspectors each district wanted once funding was received.  The southern border requested three times more inspectors than the northern border. 

 
Those responsible for managing the Patrol's social media must show better diligence when presenting the Patrol's history.  One post can derail hours of careful research and damage organizational pride.
 
Thank you for letting me vent!  Perhaps a more influential reader or two might be able to remind HQ that the national and sector Strategic Communications shops most be more careful with their Throwback Thursday history posts.  I would be happy to vet their historic posts before publication, just as I imagine Joe would too.
 
Today's update begins with at 1928 shooting where two Patrol Inspectors and two Mounted Customs Inspectors faced down alcohol smugglers in El Paso, Texas.  We have a 1936 letter from a uniform vender requesting clarification on the color of the leather (there were two colors in use at the time). And we have several updates thanks to Joe Banco's books.
 
There are no know Newton-Azrak Award action anniversaries this week.  Therefore, I will highlight the actions of Supervisory Immigration Officer James F. Murphy who received the Newton-Azrak Award in 1988.  I have conducted numerous searches and cannot find any additional information on his action.  If you have any information about it, please send it my way so I can update the site.
 
We also remember five of the Patrol's fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths.
 
Enjoy the blog and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

Documents/Events

1928

• A cover memo to the Commissioner-General and brief report of a shooting/alcohol seizure that occurred on October 24, 1928.  In this incident, Immigration Border Patrol and a Mounted Customs officer were working together. The following inspectors were involved in the shooting:
  • Patrol Inspector Douglas D. Pyeatt (1902-1944)
  • Patrol Inspector Irvin H. Cone (1902-1977)

1936

• This October 27, 1936 letter is from a company that manufactured USBP uniforms.  The letter is asking clarification concerning the color of the leather for the bill of the USBP's Pershing hat.  This is question is in response to the USBP's second Uniform Policy, General Order 179 (GO179), where the Sam Brown belt colors were different for the northern border (black) and the southern border (cordovan).

1940

• On October 23, 1940, a one-page memo was written that provided estimated costs for constructing sub-district headquarters buildings on the northern border at Lynden, WA; Bonners Ferry, ID; Havre, MT; Grand Forks, ND; and Buffalo, N.Y.

1944

• On October 27, 1944, a memo was written that provided recommended changes to Forms I-45, I-45A and I-45B.

1950

• In 1950, Camp Chigas had been the location of the Sector HQ, station and the academy for many years.  The buildings were old and not really meeting the needs of the Patrol.  So, proposals had been presented to create a training facility in El Paso.  This October 24, 1950 memo, discussed the status of continuing the construction of the new training location.
  • Earlier memos also concerning the project include:
    • A June 5, 1950 memo and an August 8, 1950 lease agreement that identifies the construction location.
  • This memo also has significant information, specifically correcting erroneous history concerning the beginning of a national training academy.  See the paragraph below:
    • The Border Patrol Training School was set up in 1936 in space that had previously been a part of the office of the Chief Patrol Inspector. Alien apprehensions between 1936 and 1942 varied from ten to twenty per day and these could be readily processed-in the space available. For the past several years, alien apprehensions have been running from 100 to 200 per day, and it is not possible to handle and process the large groups now being brought into El Paso in the space presently available. The Chief Patrol Inspector now regularly uses one of the school classrooms for handling and processing aliens since this classroom is vacant during the afternoon when part of the students are at the Target Range.
  • If still standing, the building housing the El Paso Sub-district 2 headquarters and station, and the first national training school (also known as Camp Chigas) would be located in the United States by 10-20 feet.  See this document. However, there is a former U.S. Border Patrol Building that is still standing that is located in Mexico. It is the Comisión Internacional de Límites y Aguas building.​ See this document​.

1959​

• In response, INS Commissioner Joseph M. Swing (1894-1984) designated the Chief Patrol Inspector of Tampa Sector as lead coordinator for a task force operation that was designated as Operation Pressure, with the objective “to cope with the illegal entry of Cuban nationals and the illicit traffic of aliens, arms and ammunition between the United States and Cuba.” Forty-eight Patrol Inspectors, eight Border Patrol Pilots, four aircraft, and 27 sedans were immediately moved to Tampa Sector to supplement the forces currently in the Sector. The main contingent of Patrol Inspectors was transported from Brownsville, TX, to Tampa, FL, eighteen hours after the notice went out on October 29, 1959. A week later, Operation Pressure would morph into Operation Skyward after Attorney General William Pierce Rogers (1913-2001) enacted Presidential Directive 3004 and directed the Department of Justice to lead the operations to counter efforts to destabilize the region and put into effect measures to prevent the smuggling of aliens and contraband.
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco

1967

• The efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol were recognized by Attorney General Ramsey Clark (1927-2021) and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara (1916-2009) at a ceremony held at the Department of Justice on October 23, 1967. Deputy Attorney General Warren Christopher (1925-2011), also complimented those deployed with a letter of appreciation which read in part;
  • We have come to expect a great deal from the Border Patrol – largely, I think, because that is what we always get. The performance of the Patrol at the Pentagon over the past weekend was most certainly no exception.
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco
• President Johnson would return to El Paso on October 28, 1967, to meet with Mexican President Gustavo Diaz-Ordaz to celebrate the completion of the Rio Grande channel. Both Presidents met in the center of the Santa Fe International Bridge (which was renamed the Paso Del Norte Bridge) and shook hands at the relocated obelisk from the 1964 ceremony. Two additional bridges were also renamed: the Cordova Bridge became the Bridge of Americas and the Stanton Street Bridge became the Good Neighbor (Friendship) Bridge. As part of the ceremony, both Presidents pressed a button initiating a charge detonating an earthen dam that allowed the river to flow on its new course. The U.S. Border Patrol again assisted in providing security for the Presidents and the crowds witnessing the event. Patrol Inspector Jessee Tabor, who would later become Chief of New Orleans Sector, had the following to relate regarding the Patrol’s participation;
  • El Paso PI's did security for Lyndon Johnson when he met The President of Mexico at the Border atop the Paso Del Norte bridge. They jointly blew up a temporary dam in the new river channel to complete the "Chamizal Agreement," whereby we returned a sizeable plot of land to Mexico and they returned what is now Chamizal Park to the U.S. It corrected the border back to where it was originally before high water changed the river channel years ago. We had PI's with long guns atop the POE and other tall buildings nearby. I don't recall us being relieved of handguns. I know we were shoulder to shoulder keeping the crowd back a safe distance from the presidents. Mexican officers did the same on their side.
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco

1988
​
James F. Murphy
Supervisory Immigration Officer
Glynco, Georgia
Supervisory Immigration Officer James F. Murphy was recognized for stopping the assault of a female colleague by a man with a knife in Kingston, Jamaica, in August 1987.

1925
 
Ross A. Gardner
Date of Birth:                    July 9, 1900
Entered on Duty:              January 2, 1925
Title:                                  Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:                   October 28, 1925
Details:
On October 27, 1925, Patrol Inspector Ross A. Gardner was returning from his official station, San Diego, California, to Elsinore, California, where he was temporarily assigned. He was operating a government-owned motorcycle that he had taken to San Diego to be repaired. At Sedoc, California, about three miles east of Elsinore, Inspector Gardner ran into the rear of an automobile that was stalled on the roadway. The stalled vehicle had no lights at the time and, reportedly, headlights on a truck heading in the opposite direction hampered the officer's vision.
 
Patrol Inspector Gardner sustained a fractured skull, fracture of the pelvis, and internal injuries. He was conveyed to Elsinore by a passing motorist but was later transferred to the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. Death occurred at 4:20 a.m. on October 28, 1925.
​Gravesite
 

1968
 
Ralph L. Anderson
Date of Birth:                 February 16, 1923
Entered on Duty:           May 1, 1950
Title:                              Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:               October 25, 1968
 
Details:
On October 25, 1968, Patrol Inspector Ralph L. Anderson was assigned to the 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. shift on the international boundary near San Ysidro, California. He was working alone, checking the drag trails for signs of illegal crossings.
 
Shortly after 4:00 p.m., Patrol Inspector Charles Thompson found Patrol Inspector Anderson in a Service-owned vehicle in a remote area near the Mexican border east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. There was a bullet wound in Inspector Anderson's right temple and a 218 “Bee” Savage bolt-action rifle inside the vehicle, with the muzzle pointing upward and leaning toward the decedent.
 
Investigation conducted by the FBI revealed that the rifle was carried loosely inside the vehicle with the muzzle upward. A mark on a gearshift lever knob indicated that the trigger of the weapon had fallen against the knob. The impact discharged the rifle, and the projectile struck Inspector Anderson in the right temporal region. There was no indication of any other person or persons having been in the area. San Diego County Deputy Coroner Murphy concluded the mode of death to be accidental.
 
​Gravesite
 

1998
 
Walter S. Panchison
Date of Birth:                January 15, 1945
Entered on Duty:          March 6, 1978
Title:                              Airplane Pilot
End of Watch:               October 23, 1998
 
Details:
On Friday October 23, 1998, at 2:00 p.m., Agent Scott Panchison was flying a U.S. Border Patrol plane in response to motion sensors tripped along the United States - Canadian Border near Lynden, Washington. Agent Panchison was working with other agents in the area and was heading back to Bellingham International Airport when his plane crashed into rugged terrain in the Smith Peak area just north of Mount Baker Highway on the west side of Sumas Mountain. Agent Panchison lost his life in the crash.
 
Agent Panchison was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a master’s degree from Pepperdine University. After graduation, Agent Panchison joined the U.S. Marine Corps, where he spent ten years flying F4 Phantoms, including flights from aircraft carriers in the Vietnam War. He left the Corps to join the U.S. Border Patrol, where he proudly served for 21 years. At the time of his death, he was stationed at the Blaine Sector. He was a graduate of the 119th session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Glynco, Georgia.
 
Gravesite
 

2002
 
Catherine M. Hill
Date of Birth:                March 19, 1965
Entered on Duty:          November 1, 1999
Title:                              Senior Patrol Agent
End of Watch:                October 25, 2002
 
Details:
Senior Patrol Agent Catherine M. Hill, 37, was performing patrol duties in the Tijuana River Valley (Smuggler’s Canyon area) early in the morning on Friday, October 25, 2002, when her vehicle rolled down the edge of a 40-foot cliff. She died at the scene.
 
Agent Hill was a graduate of the 419th session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy and was assigned to the Imperial Beach Station at the time of her death. Known for her outgoing and community-oriented personality, she was an advisor for Border Patrol Explorer post #1924 and a member of the San Diego Sector’s Peer Support Team.
 
​Gravesite
 

2021
 
Rafael G. Sanchez
Entered on Duty:           September 16, 2002
Title:                              Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               October 24, 2021
Details:
Agent Sanchez entered on duty on September 16, 2002, as part of the 527th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Hebbronville Station, Laredo Sector, Texas. 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 Anabel; children: Arielle, Maritza, and Rafael; and mother: Corina; sister Nora; and grandchildren: Joshua, Jordyn, and Gianna.
 
Cremated

Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  
 
Let's start this week discussing the Patrol's rank insignia.  Before diving in, you may want to visit and read The U.S. Border Patrol’s Early Rank and Time-in-Service Insignia.  It has a GIF (12 images that cycle every 5 seconds) of the examples of the rank insignia and time-in-service insignia that was in place from 1928-1942 of which I'll write about below.
 
Let me backtrack to the beginning...  From its creation in 1924 until General Order 61 (GO-61) in 1926, the Patrol had only two positions, and neither had an official rank insignia;

1. Patrol Inspectors, and
2. Immigrant Inspectors that were designated as Patrol Inspectors in Charge
   • Patrol Inspectors in Charge led sub-districts.  Patrol Inspectors in Charge would be renamed Chief Patrol Inspectors with the implementation of GO-61 and Chief Patrol Inspectors renamed Chief Patrol Agents in 1970.  Also, sub-districts would be renamed "sectors" in the 1940s.  So, Patrol Inspectors in Charge were the first Chief Patrol Inspector

 
From 1924-1928, the Patrol did not have an official rank insignia.  We know that to be true based on this memo from Chief of the Border Patrol Ruel E. Davenport (1878-1961), "The lack of any insignia of rank for ranking officers of the Patrol Service is also noticeable."  However, there exists photographic evidence of some rank insignia being used outside of any policy such as the case of the insignia worn by Frank McMahan at the bottom of his left sleeve.

On March 18, 1926, GO-61 was signed and came into effect on April 1, 1926.  GO-61 restructured the Border Patrol, creating three additional positions and renaming one:

• Created the position Senior Patrol Inspector,
• Created the position of Assistant Superintendent.  This position would supervise all Border Patrol employees within a district and report to the district head,
• Created the position of Supervisor, Border Patrol.  It is this position that we consider to be the Chief of the Border Patrol today.  It was not a uniformed position and had no rank insignia.
• Immigrant Inspectors who had been designated as Patrol Inspectors In Charge were renamed Chief Patrol Inspectors.

 
The sixth supplement to General Order 42, dated April 4, 1928, contains the earliest Border Patrol rank and time-in-service insignia that have been located.  

• Patrol Inspector - No insignia
• Senior Patrol Inspector - One strip of silver bullion or silver braid 3-inches long by 3/8-inch wide, worn on the blue facing of each sleeve of the uniform blouse.  The insignia was placed so that the ends extended to the edges of the blue facing to form an approximation of an equilateral triangle with the point of the facing as the apex and the silver braid as the base.
• Chief Patrol Inspector - One strip of gold bullion or gold braid on the blue facing of each sleeve.  This insignia was the same size and placement as the Senior Patrol Inspectors' insignias.
• Assistant Superintendent - Two strips of gold bullion or gold braid on the blue facing of each sleeve and the same size as the Chief Patrol Inspector insignia.  The first strip was placed as indicated above and the second was placed 3/8-inch below and parallel with it.

The rank insignia above weren't the only rank insignia in place at the time, there were also unique insignia for the long coat.

• Senior Patrol Inspector - One strip of 3/16-inch black tubular mohair braid, placed ½-inch above and following the contour of the blue cuff facing on the outer sleeve and forming a. single loop above the point of facing, outside dimensions of the loop to be 3-inches tall and 1-7/8 inches at the widest point.
• Chief Patrol Inspector - Two strips of the above-described braid, the second was placed ¼ inch above and following the first so as to form a second loop inside of the first.
• Assistant Superintendent - Three strips of the above-described braid, the third to be placed ¼ inch above and following the second so as to form a third loop inside of second.  The edges of braid to be let into sleeve seams.

These insignia were in place until approximately 1942 when the Patrol's third uniform policy was implemented.  Sadly, no examples of that policy is known to exist.  However, it is known that the aforementioned rank insignia were discontinued.  With the new uniform policy, the shoulder ornaments that had been worn as part of the uniform for all Patrol Inspectors since 1924 were used to identify ranking inspectors.  It is thought that the 1942 uniform policy concerning rank was significantly similar to the 1956 uniform policy, see below:

• Shoulder Ornaments: These are reserved to indicate the rank of Senior Patrol Inspector or above; gold for Chief Patrol Inspectors, the Assistant Chief, air operations, and Assistant Chief, air safety officer, or above; polished silver with blue letters for Assistant Chief Patrol Inspectors and oxidized silver with raised uncolored lettering for Senior Patrol Inspectors and GS-12 Pilots.

The shoulder ornaments and titles on badges were the sole insignia of rank until September 4, 1980, when the acting commissioner issued this memo that began:

• To enhance the recognition of our supervisory and staff Border Patrol agents, among the general public, I am authorizing the wearing of military collar insignia for these positions.

​Two significant and true concepts were made in that single sentence.  First, rank insignia is a recognition item.  Employees do not need devices to lead or to do work. The devices are an acknowledgment of the employee reaching a significant status.  Second, a rank insignia does not denote supervisory status in that "staff" officers were also assigned devices. This acknowledges the significant organizational impact that staff officers had within the Patrol.
 
A bit of a back story for that 1980 memo.  In a conversation with Roger "Buck" Brandemuehl, Chief of the Border Patrol 1980-1986, he told me that the Patrol was commonly working with the military, as it does today.  The military members didn't quite grasp the shoulder ornament rank insignia, so Buck pushed to have the military rank insignia implemented so that the military would have a better understanding of to whom they were talking within the Patrol.

The 1980 rank insignia began with captain’s bars for first-line supervisors and ended with 2 stars for the Chief of the Border Patrol (Assistant Commissioner).  Chief Patrol Agents wore 1 star. 
 
Within the implementation of the military rank insignia, the traditional shoulder ornaments were still used, roughly following the aforementioned 1956 guidance.
 
The next large change in the Patrol's rank insignia came in 2003.  The most significant of the changes were that the Chief of the Border Patrol wore four stars (making Chief Gustavo De La Vina the first 4-star Chief) and Chief Patrol Agents wore two stars.
 
Later, sometime around 2010, the shoulder ornaments no longer were symbols of rank but became location identifiers agents in supervisory and managerial positions.  Gold should ornaments denoted supervisory and managerial agents assigned to USBP HQ, silver ornaments denoted sector HQ supervisory and managerial agents, and oxidized ornament denoted station level supervisory and managerial agents.  However, for reasons never adequately explained to me, the Academy uses a combination of silver and oxidized shoulder ornaments.  I would think that all Academy supervisory and managerial should wear silver ornaments like the sector HQs.
 
However, as the years have passed the Border Patrol has strayed from official documents that continue to provide excellent equivalency in applying military rank insignia to Senior Executives and GS employees. See the following;

• Department of Defense
  • See page 14, Civilian Geneva Categories and Equivalent Grades for POW Identification
  • Department of Defense Working Capital Funds Civilian/Military Equivalency Rate
• Department of the Army
  • See Appendix D staring on page 39, Pamphlet 600-60, A Guide to Protocol and Etiquette for Official Entertainment
• Department of the Navy
  • Comparison of Military and Civilian Equivalent Grades

There are many other references, but I'm sure you get the point...  They are the standards for equating military and civilian pay grades and rank insignia.
 
However, the Border Patrol’s rank insignia is not related to the scope and complexity of the position as is reflected in a position's pay grade.  The Patrol's rank insignia is title-centric and is related more to the perceived level of prestige of a given position.  That's why a GS-13 supervising less than 10 people wears the identical insignia as a GS-15 who is responsible for over 600 people (Patrol Agents in Charge all wear eagles as rank insignia regardless of pay grade).  As another example, the GS-15 CPA of Ramey Sector with less than 100 employees wears 2-stars when SES DCPAs and SES HQ Deputy Directorate Chiefs wear 1-star.
 
So, wrapping it up... In today's Patrol, there are far more titles than pay grades and insignia.  The fickle concept of prestige trumps the carefully considered pay grade of positions in the application of insignia assignment.  Restating the 1980 memo, rank insignia were implemented ...to enhance the recognition of our supervisory and staff Border Patrol agents.  I argue that the recognition is diminished when the system allows GS-13s and GS-14s to wear the same insignia as a GS-15, when SESs wear a lessor insignia than a GS-15, and prestige provides the foundation of rank assignment instead of pay grade.  But, I could be wrong...
 
This week brings us tons of USBP history!  We start with a 1910 memo concerning compensation for "mounted inspectors.  There are shootings, seizures, and the earliest known mentioning of two modern positions.
 
We celebrate the Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary for two recipients.
 
We also remember the loss of six of our fallen, including two that fell in the same event.  Jesus de la Ossa and Thomas J. Williams fell due in the same incident in 1998.  A sad fact is that the USBP has lost two Agents/Inspectors due to the same event nine times (18 fallen).  Their names are listed below:

1. Donald Kee and William F. Buckelew in 1954
2. Douglas C. Shute and James M. Carter in 1956
3. Theodore L. Newton, Jr. and George F. Azrak in 1967
4. Friedrich Karl and John S. Blue in 1973
5. Susan L. Rodriguez and Ricardo G. Salinas in 1998
6. Jesus de la Ossa and Thomas J. Williams in 1998​
7. Travis W. Attaway and Jeremy M. Wilson in 2004
8. Ramon Nevarez, Jr. and David J. Tourscher in 2007
9. Hector R. Clark and Eduardo Rojas,  Jr. in 2011

 
Daniel P. Cox and Edgardo Acosta-Feliciano both fell on July 31, 2021.  However, their causes of death were not related.
 
Enjoy the blog and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

2016
​
Juan Cruz Jr. - ​photo
Border Patrol Agent
Weslaco, Texas
Marcus K. Johnson - photo
Border Patrol Agent
Weslaco, Texas
The incident occurred on October 19, 2015, at approximately 2:00 a.m. Border Patrol Agents Juan Cruz, Jr. and Marcus K. Johnson responded to a call for assistance by agents working border enforcement duties near the Hidalgo, Texas, Settling Basin. A subject had jumped into the water basin and was struggling to stay afloat. The potential victim was frantically screaming for help and periodically dipping below the surface of the water. The agents quickly improvised a safety line from tow straps and courageously entered the dark, cold water in an attempt to rescue the subject. 

Unfortunately, the improvised safety line was not long enough to reach the subject and the dangerous conditions forced the agents to return to land. Cruz swam out for a second time in an attempt to throw the subject a floatation device, but that attempt also failed due to the subject’s panicked state of mind. Upon the arrival of the City of Hidalgo’s Fire Department, the agents were informed that the fire department would not attempt a rescue due to policy constraints dealing with the dangers involved in a night time water rescue.

Both Cruz and Johnson ignored the injuries they had suffered to their bare feet on their previous rescue attempts and for a third time volunteered to try to rescue the subject. They borrowed life vests from the fire department and re-entered the dangerous water. On the third attempt, the agents managed to reach the subject and provide him with a life vest and were able to successfully extract him from the water without further incident.

The subject was examined by emergency medical technicians at the scene and found to be in good health and not in need of further medical attention. Both Cruz and Johnson were treated for their injuries at a local hospital and released the same night.

1922
 
Charles Gardiner
Date of Birth:                     February 5, 1882
Entered on Duty:               August 15, 1918
Title:                                  Mounted Watchman
End of Watch:                   October 21, 1922
​Details
Mounted Guard Charles Gardiner was shot and killed without warning by the driver of a wagon loaded with smuggled liquor. Gardiner was approaching the vehicle to inspect it when the unprovoked attack occurred. The report indicated that he approached a one-horse wagon containing two Mexicans for the purpose of questioning them as to their immigration status and that they jumped from the wagon, immediately firing upon him from close range.
 
Death Certificate
​
Survivor benefits - As per this document, his wife received $66.67 per month for her and their four children.  Then $49.50 for her and one child.
 
​Gravesite
 

1956
 
John A. Rector
Date of Birth:                August 23, 1898
Entered on Duty:          March 13, 1928
Title:                              Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:               October 16, 1956
 
Details:
At approximately 11:30 a.m., October 16, 1956, Patrol Inspector John A. Rector was accidently shot by the firing of a .357 Magnum revolver by fellow officer, Bill Jordan. The mishap occurred at the Chula Vista Sector Headquarters as two officers were discussing various guns and their limitations and advantages. During the course of the conversation, the .357 Magnum was unloaded, examined, then reloaded, and placed in a desk drawer. The two officers then examined a .22 revolver and soon the discussion returned to the .357 Magnum. At this point, Patrol Inspector Jordan reached into the desk drawer, picked up the pistol, and without realizing that it had been reloaded, pulled the trigger.
 
The bullet passed through a partition wall into Patrol Inspector Rector's office where it struck him in the left jaw and ranged up through his head. Upon arrival of an ambulance and a doctor, Patrol Inspector Rector was removed to the Paradise Valley Hospital in National City. Two neurosurgeons from San Diego were called; however, nothing could be done for Inspector Rector. He died at approximately 2:00 p.m. the same day.
 
Gravesite​


1967

Elgar B. Holliday
Date of Birth:                October 6, 1911
Entered on Duty:          June 19, 1944
Title:                             Senior Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:              October 18, 1967
 
Details:
In September 1967, Hurricane Beulah struck the lower Rio Grande Valley and adjacent areas causing extensive wind and flood damage. During the emergency, Patrol Inspectors rendered assistance in the protection of life and property, performing exhaustive and arduous tasks and working long periods of time without rest or relief. Senior Patrol Inspector Elgar B. Holliday was engaged in continuous emergency work assignments for three days. During the third day, September 24, 1967, he was stricken, suffering from extreme shortness of breath and pains in the chest. Showing signs of complete exhaustion, he was taken to a doctor, who gave him an injection and diagnosed the difficulty as heart failure due to over-exertion. Mr. Holliday was subsequently placed in the St. Joseph's Hospital, Houston, Texas, where he died on October 18, 1967.

​Gravesite

• ...Patrol Inspector “Doc” Holliday was considered “The Father of the Border Patrol Canine Program” for his pioneer work in McAllen, El Centro and other Southwest Sectors training handlers and working with a variety of dogs. “Doc” Holliday would later become the “Senior” of the Falfurrias Station, TX, and would die in the line of duty succumbing to over-exertion resulting in a heart attack on October 18, 1967 as he was engaged in rescue and emergency relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Beulah. “Doc” Holliday had been working for three long days rendering assistance and performing arduous tasks with little rest.
  
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume II by Joseph Banco

 
1979

Weldon Smith
Date of Birth:                July 18, 1939
Entered on Duty:          November 2, 1970
Title:                             Aircraft Pilot
End of Watch:              October 19, 1979
 
Details:
During the afternoon of October 19, 1979, Pilot Weldon Smith had been working with ground agents Roxy D. Kieffe and Frank Ureta, Jr., of Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station. They were trailing aliens on the Gallagor Ranch, about 10 miles north of Guerra, Jim Hogg County, Texas. Pilot Smith returned to McAllen to refuel. As he was returning to the location of the aliens, he passed about 100 feet over Kieffe, relocated the trail, and started relaying the location to Kieffe. He said, "I found the tr-" and quit transmitting in mid-sentence. Officer Kieffe did not see the crash, but saw the smoke and ran toward it. The plane was completely engulfed in flames, destroyed by the impact and fire. Pilot Smith died on initial impact. A Justice of the Peace from Hebbronville, Texas, held an inquest upon arrival at the scene of the accident and pronounced Pilot Smith dead. Subsequent investigation determined that the aircraft had stalled and the pilot was unable to recover from the stall.
 
​Gravesite


1998

Jesus de la Ossa
Date of Birth:                June 21, 1965
Entered on Duty:          November 28, 1993
Title:                              Senior Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               October 20, 1998
 
Details:
On Tuesday, October 20, 1998, at 7:00 p.m., Agents Jesus De La Ossa and Thomas J. Williams were traveling to San Diego after successfully completing the Border Patrol Academy Instructor’s Course. They were involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle and lost their lives in the accident, which happened about 15 miles west of Artesia, New Mexico.
 
Agent De La Ossa was born in Nogales, Arizona. Before entering the Border Patrol, Agent De La Ossa served as a military policeman in the U.S. Air Force. He joined the INS as a Border Patrol Agent and was later promoted to Senior Patrol Agent. At the time of his death, his official station was Brown Field, California. He was a graduate of the 264th session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Glynco, Georgia.
 
​Gravesite
 
Thomas J. Williams
Date of Birth:                July 21, 1966
Entered on Duty:          May 5, 1994
Title:                              Senior Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               October 20, 1998
 
Details:
On Tuesday, October 20, 1998, at 7:00 p.m., Agents Thomas J. Williams and Jesus De La Ossa were traveling to San Diego after successfully completing the Border Patrol Academy Instructor’s Course. They were involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle and lost their lives in the accident, which happened about 15 miles west of Artesia, New Mexico.
 
Agent Williams was born in Hazel Green, Wisconsin. He graduated from Western Illinois University Magna Cum Laude with a degree in criminal justice. He served in the Navy for four years, two of which were served on the submarine USS Henry Clay. He joined the INS as a Border Patrol Agent and was later promoted to Senior Patrol Agent. At the time of his death, his official station was Brown Field, California. He was a graduate of the 266th session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Glynco, Georgia.
 
​Gravesite

Good morning!

Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  

Let's start today's newsletter discussing flags.  

To lay a foundation, I remember being young agent in Laredo and seeing an absolutely huge Mexican flag across the river.  One source has the flag being roughly 93' X 164' and weighing almost 800 pounds!  My partner and I were discussing the Mexican flag and he was upset that it was larger than the United States flag on our side of the border.One source has the flag being roughly 93' X 164' and weighing almost 800 pounds!  My partner and I were discussing the Mexican flag and he was upset that the Mexican Flag was larger than the United States flag.  He told me that the United States should fly a larger flag.  I countered his suggestion by telling him that both the United States and Mexico could better spend their money on things far more important than flying ever larger flags. I continued by telling him that regardless of the relative sizes of the national flags that the United States was a better country.  The size of the flag didn't matter.

Continuing on the theme of flags, when was the last time you saw a military joint color guard?  Did you notice the order of the flags, their precedence?  There are several rules that define the order.  Two of the main rules are:

• What a flag represents, e.g. country, state, department, agency, organization, etc, and
  
• The date of creation of the country, state, department, agency, organization, etc.

 
Look at the photograph of the military color guard below.

The order of the flags are (L to R):

1. United States - Taking precedence over the others because it represents a country
   
2. U.S. Army - Most senior of the Armed Services, date of creation June 14, 1775
   
   • I will mention that the National Guard claims December 13, 1636 as their date of creation but their flag is never first
     
3. U.S. Marine Corps - Date of creation November 10, 1775
   
4. U.S. Navy - Date of creation October 13, 1775.  
   
5. U.S. Air Force - Date of creation September 18, 1947
   
6. U.S. Space Force - Date of creation December 20, 2019
   
7. U.S. Coast Guard - Traces its origin to the Revenue Cutter service (August 4, 1790) but received its current name on January 28, 1915.

 
Let's unpack that order of precedence.  Obviously, the United States flag is the highest because it represents a country, and the U.S. Army flag is second because it's the oldest of the Armed Forces (not counting the National Guard).  The U.S. Coast Guard is the most junior, I guess, because it's not part of the Department of Defense in peacetime.  I imagine that another argument for the USCG flag being last is that the Secretary of the Department of Defense is #6 in the United States Presidential line of succession and the Secretary of Homeland Security is #18.  Although, Secretary Mayorkas is Constitutionally ineligible to become President because he was born in in Havana, Cuba and therefore not a natural-born citizen.
 
But what about the Navy and Marine Corps flags?  The Navy is clearly older than the Marine Corps, right? Well, there are several stories and I'll briefly give one of them...  Both the USN and the USMC can trace their beginnings to the 1775 dates listed above, making the USN 28-days older that the USMC.  What many people do not know, is that both services were disbanded after the Revolutionary War in 1783.  The USN was reconstituted in 1794 and claimed their year of reconstitution as its new date of creation.  When the USMC was reconstituted in 1798, it recognized its original 1775 date if creation, making it the older service.  However, in 1972, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Zumwalt authorized the USN to recognize the 1775 date as the date of creation. But, 50 years later and the old precedent is still unbroken with the USMC flag still taking precedence over the USN flag.
 
I know what you're thinking, "Great military history lesson, Cliff.  Do you have point that's related to the Patrol?"  I do have a point...  Did you know that within Customs and Border Protection, several of the Offices have organizational flags?  I'm going to discuss only the three of the flags of the uniformed Offices... Air & Marine Operations (AMO), Office of Field Operations (OFO), and the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP).  Specifically, I'm going to speak of their order of precedence...

Above, I've displayed the flags in their order of precedence based on alphabetical order, which is an accepted order of precedence.  Many times, all of the state flags of the United States will be displayed in alphabetical order.

However, from 2003 to 2016 the USBP flag nearly always took precedence over the other Office flags.  It became the practice within CBP that was followed in every color guard although not supported by any official document.  The Office flags were displayed - USBP, OFO and AMO.  The arguments that support this approach are:​

1. The USBP flag is older that the OFO and AMO flags.  The USBP flag's design was finalized on June 11, 1999.  The flags of OFO and AMO were created later.
   
2. The USBP flag has greater legitimacy because U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry finalized its designed. See this document.
   
   • Retired Chief Patrol Agent Ron Sanders gave me a bit more information about the USBP flag in an email he sent me:
     
     • On page 3 of his December 9, 1997, letter to the Chiefs it was noted by Thomas L. Wacher, CPA/ELC, Secretary to the Chiefs Association that:
       
       • “Chief Kruhm said the decision on the Border Patrol flag is green with 22 stars. (21 for the Sectors and one for the Academy). Thanks to all that took the time to vote. This will have to be approved by DOJ and then we can purchase the flags for Sectors and Stations.”
         
3. The USBP maintained its organizational identity better and the legacy U.S. Customs Service Office of Field Operations.

 
I will also note that the argument could be presented that the OFO flag should take precedence over the other CBP Office flags for the following reasons:

1. OFO traces its organizational beginnings to the beginning of the U.S. Customs Service on July 31, 1789, making OFO much older than the USBP or even the Immigration Service which traced it's beginnings to the Immigration Act of 1891, Section 7, on March 3, 1891.
   
2. On December 16, 2016, the Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Field Operations, Todd C. Owen, signed an official document defining the order of precedence of CBP flags based on "earliest date of establishment":
   
   1. OFO (USCS) - July 31, 1789
      
   2. USBP - May 25, 1924
      
      • The listed date is not correct.  The USBP was created by the Bureau of Immigration with the passage of Public Law 68-153, an approved appropriations bill (page 240), on May 28, 1924.
        
   3. AMO - January 17, 2006

 
However, no other CBP Office, including the USBP, is required to follow the official guidance from OFO.  

So, nearly two decades after the U.S. Customs Service was renamed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (see page 186 of this document), something as simple as an Office flag precedence has not been established.

Regardless of the logic applied to define the order of precedence, the Office of the Commissioner should create the document and provide the guidance.  Recalling how this intro began...  It does not matter the size of an organization's flag, nor where it's located in an order of precedence.  An organization's pride is not anchored to such trivial concepts. Whether the USBP's flag is first, last, largest or smallest, the Patrol is a meaningful organization that is rich in history, tradition and culture!  Honor First!
 
As always, this week brings us many interesting anniversaries in USBP history.  We start with a 1907 document concerning Jeff Milton.  We see 1918 memo from the Father of the Border Patrol.  We also have three references form Joe Banco's must buy USBP History books.
 
We remembered Border Patrol heroes on the anniversary of the actions that led them to being presented the Newton-Azrak Award.
 
Finally, we remember Patrol Inspector Henely L. Goode Jr. who died due to a duty related injury in 1969.
 
Enjoy the blog and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

Documents/Events

1907

• On October 7, 1907, William T. Hornaday (1854-1937) of the New York Zoological Society wrote a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor  "Nathan Strauss" requesting the Jeff Milton (1861-1947) be granted a leave of absence to guide his expedition through the "un­explored territory in northwestern Sonora."  
  • Hornaday, got the Secretary's name wrong.  "Oscar Straus" (1850-1926) was the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor.

1918

• This memo written on October 15, 1918, by future Chief and Father of the Border Patrol Frank Berkshire (1870-1934), details the conditions, attitudes and difficulties along the Southwest border after the implementation of laws and regulations were passed regarding aliens crossing the border.  From Berkshire's perspective, the creation of a "Border Patrol" was the solution to enforcing those laws and regulations. 

1927

• On October 11, 1927, Chief Patrol Inspector Grey of the Houlton Sub-district writes his boss, the Commissioner of Immigration for the Montreal District, explaining the need to have 5 men assigned to each of the subdistrict's stations (Calais, Vanceboro, Houlton and Fort Fairfield).  He also, takes the opportunity to request additional equipment. Also, noteworthy in the memo that CPI Grey's does not identify his AOR as a "Sub-district #1" but as "Patrol District #1".  That is contrary to the naming convention order in General Order 61 in 1926.
  
• On October 12, 1927, Chief Patrol Inspector Thomas of the Massena Sub-district also writes his boss, the Commissioner of Immigration for the Montreal District.  Based on this document, it is evident that he and CPI Grey were responding to a memo from their boss.  This memo, CPI Thomas describes the manpower and AOR of the sub-district's four stations (Fort Covington, Massena, Morristown, and Depauville).  Further, CPI recommends and provides his justifications for opening another station at Hogansburg, NY.  Like CPI Grey above, CPI Thomas does not use the naming convention mandated by General Order 61.

1930

• This PDF contains two memos and a sworn statement detailing a brief exchange of gunfire that occurred on October 16, 1930, between Border Patrol Inspectors and alcohol smugglers in El Paso, TX.  The following Border Patrol Inspectors were involved in the gunfight:
  • Senior Patrol Inspector Paul N. Ross (1898-1950)
  • Patrol Inspector Walter L. Muehlhause (1905-2005)

1943

• On October 13, 1943, acting Chief of the Border Patrol John Nelson (1906-1979) wrote his boss, Willard Kelly (1903-1969),  the previous Chief of the Border Patrol a memo explaining the reasons that 143 of 253 Border Patrol Inspectors had left employment (18 were terminated and 125 resigned).  Very interesting about this memo is that it clearly shows that Willard Kelly had promoted above Chief of the Border Patrol and that John Nelson (who was the Director of the Border Patrol Academy) had been temporally promoted to Chief of the Border Patrol which would late become a permanent promotion.
  • Nelson's death certificate shows that he left the Border Patrol and become an "Atomic Engineer" with an unnamed organization.  The 1950 census has him living in Los Angeles, California and working for the INS.

1940

• On October 14, 1940, Congress passed the Nationality Act of 1940, which for the first time unified and codified U.S. laws relating to naturalization, citizenship, and nationality. The Nationality Act of 1940 clarified “eligibility for citizenship through birth or naturalization,” including residency requirements, actions which would bar immigrants from naturalization, and conditions for loss of nationality.516 These two laws would play an important part in the actions of the U.S. Border Patrol in apprehending and detaining those identified as subversive and enemy aliens during and after World War II.
  • ​From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco

1944

• On October 10, 1944, Tule Lake Segregation Center was transferred to the Department of Justice and Border Patrol Inspectors replaced military guards at the center. Approximately 70 Patrol Inspectors were assigned to Tule Lake, taking over the duties which had previously been administered by 450 Army officers and enlisted men.755 By this time, the internee population had been reduced from 18,000 to 3,300 through repatriations, transfers to other camps, and parole of those determined to be “loyals.”
  • ​​From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco

1945​

• The Fort Stanton Internment Camp closed on October 10, 1945, after transferring the last of its 24 Japanese internees, who had volunteered to help dismantle the camp, for repatriation to Japan from Terminal Island, California.645 During its operation, it housed not only the 410 men of the S.S. Columbus, but a total of 778 internees that included 695 Germans, 21 Italians, and 62 Japanese.
  • ​​From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco

​1980
 
Myron B. Merchant - award memo, news article
Border Patrol Agent
Swanton, Vermont
On October 14, 1979 at approximately 10:30 p.m. a call was received by Border Patrol Agents at Rouses Point, New York that two men were walking in a sparsely populated rural area south on Cannon Corners Road near Mooers Forks, New York.  Border Patrol Agent (BPA) Myron Merchant and another agent responded to the call.  BPA Merchant took a surveillance position at the intersection of Cannon Corners Road and Route 11.  Soon afterwards, BPA Merchant saw two men walking a short distance from his location.  Suddenly the men ran into the woods. BPA Merchant notified the other agent by radio of the circumstances and followed the suspects into the woods.  About fifty feet from the road BPA Merchant came under close range gunfire. One shot struck him in the upper abdomen, knocking him to the ground.  One of the assailants walked toward him and raised his weapon in an apparent attempt to kill him.  BPA Merchant instinctively rolled on the ground as the assailant fired narrowly missing him.  BPA Merchant drew his weapon and returned the gunfire, killing the assailant. While seriously wounded, BPA Merchant marked the position of the dead man with his flashlight and then crawled on his back to the road where he was met by the agent he had earlier radioed.
 
During the gunfire the second man fled.  He was captured later at a New York State Police roadblock in Mooers, New York.  BPA Merchant’s ability and presence of mind to be able to give a description of the second man greatly contributed to his capture. The two men were later identified as two escapees who had been charged with murdering a Montreal, Quebec police officer and seriously wounding two other officers of that city.  BPA Merchant’s actions that evening reflect his great personal courage and presence of mind during an emergency life and death situation.
 
 
2002
 
Robert H. Arnold Jr.
Senior Patrol Agent
El Paso Sector
Herbert L. Williams
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
El Paso Sector
Senior Patrol Agent Robert H. Arnold Jr. and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Herbert L. Williams were recognized for their acts of bravery and heroism during the pursuit of a narcotics load vehicle after it illegally entered the U.S. with 1,900 pounds of marijuana.  
 
On October 12, 2002, Agent Arnold and his partner Border Patrol Agent Valerie Jaramillo pursued a narcotics load vehicle back to the Rio Grande River after it had entered the United States illegally. This occurred approximately 27 miles east of the Ft. Hancock, Texas Port of Entry.  
 
The driver abandoned the vehicle (containing 1,900 pounds of marijuana) and crossed back into Mexico. The driver, along with several other armed assailants, began shooting into the United States at these agents.  Agents Arnold and Jaramillo were ambushed and came under heavy gunfire.  Agent Jaramillo was shot in the leg and the same bullet narrowly missed Agent Arnold.  Additional rounds struck the engine compartment and battery, disabling their vehicle.  
 
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Herbert L. Williams entered the area as back up and took heavy fire.  Agent Arnold returned fire from cover.  Agent Williams positioned his vehicle in the line of fire to provide additional cover so that Agent Jaramillo could be extracted safely.  Agents in self-defense of the heavy automatic gunfire fired over 240 rounds.  Agent Arnold removed Agent Jaramillo to Agent Williams vehicle and then left the scene to meet with a medical helicopter.  Agent Williams provided cover fire as they left the area, at which time they were continuing to take heavy fire from Mexico.  Agent Williams was able to safely get out of the line of fire and Agent Jaramillo subsequently recovered from her gunshot wound.

​1969
 
Henley M. Goode, Jr.
Date of Birth:                April 7, 1929
Entered on Duty:          August 24, 1953
Title:                             Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:              October 11, 1969
 
Details:
During the morning of September 6, 1969, Patrol Inspector Henley M. Goode, Jr. was injured when he fell on the steps of the U.S. Post Office Building, Fort Fairfield, Maine. He had just departed the Border Patrol Office on the second floor of the building and as he neared the lobby level, he tripped and fell a short distance to the lobby floor. There were no witnesses to the accident, but several postal employees heard the sound of someone falling and a voice calling for help.
 
They responded immediately, and obtained a doctor and an ambulance. Examination revealed Patrol Inspector Goode had sustained a fractured left kneecap (Patella). He died unexpectedly on October 11, 1969, at the Fort Fairfield Community Hospital. His death was attributed to pulmonary embolus.

​Gravesite​​

Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  
 
I'm going to start out by comparing the ease of purchasing military awards and insignia to the great difficulty of a current or former USBP employee obtaining an extra/replacement Border Patrol award or device...
 
Military Insignia and Awards
Would you like to purchase a Navy Seal Trident?  If you wish, you can purchase one from  Vanguard for $13.70.  

What about a Navy Cross medal?  You can purchase one of those from Medals of America for $81.99.  

What about a Silver Star medal?  Go to USA Military Medals with $40.39 and it's yours.  
Any military member, veteran or collector is able to purchase any military insignia and/or award, from multiple venders nearly without restriction*.
*18 USC 704 regulates military medals and decorations.
 
USBP Insignia and Awards
What about active USBP employees and retirees...  Where are they able to purchase replacement or extra insignia or USBP Honorary Awards?  Where would someone obtain a USBP Peer Support device, BORTAC device, USBP Commendation Medal, etc...?  The short answer is no USBP device or award is available for purchase by any recipient, active USBP employee, retiree or collector.
 
What if I were to tell you I have a plan that would support the current and former workforce, collectors and the Border Patrol Museum in a win-win-win manner?
 
A Plan of Action
Here it goes - First, a CBP policy document would have to be created so that CBP/USBP would enter into official relationships with the Border Patrol Museum and Border Patrol Morale, Welfare and Recreation (BP MW&R) non-profit organizations following the model of the FBI’s relationship with the FBI Recreation Association (FBIRA).

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service (USSS) have created official relationships with non-profit organizations under 5 CFR Part 251. 
• The FBI’s relationship with the FBI Recreation Association (FBIRA) is governed by this policy document.  An overview is provided below:
  • The FBIRA has 58 chapters.
  • FBIRA Chapter 1 has been provided GOV space by the FBI in the Hoover Building in Washington DC.
  • Only FBIRA Chapter 1 has received official authorization to produce/sell items with the FBI badge on them and official seals.  All other FBIRA chapters are required to purchase the aforementioned items from Chapter 1.
  • All FBIRA chapters are required to be managed by a board of at least three FBI employees or face the loss of official recognition.
  • All FBIRA chapters are required to maintain high levels of ethical behavior and accountability or face the loss of official recognition.
• The USBP could emulate the FBI approach by entering into a relationship with the Border Patrol Museum and BP MW&R organizations.  Generally, the approach could mandate that BP MW&R organizations be considered chapters of the Border Patrol Museum and require that they purchase USBP branded items from the Border Patrol Museum.  This approach, following the FBI model under 5 CFR Part 251 would be a mutually beneficial relationship the USBP, the workforce and the non-profit organizations. 

 
Concerning USBP Honorary Awards and USBP Authorized Devices, it is nearly impossible for an employee or a retiree to obtain an extra set of one of their awards or devices.  It would be very easy for the USBP to authorize the BP Museum to have those items manufactured for sale.  It would be great for the workforce and a source of revenue for the Museum. Win / Win
 
The approach is simple:

1. A CBP/USBP document is created following the FBI by which the BP Museum becomes Chapter #1 of all USBP MW&R Associations.  All USBP MW&R's are mandated to purchase USBP branded items from the BP Museum.  Only the BP Museum is authorized to have USBP branded items manufactured.
2. To create USBP Honorary Awards and some of the USBP Authorized devices, the BP Museum would use a U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) certified vender to which the TIOH would ship the award and device dies. The vender would manufacture the awards/devices to the exact standards in the TIOH spec sheets.  
   • Note - before I retired, I requested that the USBP Commendation spec sheet to be modified to be a four-piece award set. As of this writing it is still listed as a three-piece.  Ensure that the vender knows that a lapel pin must be included. Find spec sheets by search for “Border Patrol” in the Find Term field in this website -  https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx
3. Each award has multiple spec sheets:
   • Decoration
   • Ribbon
   • Lapel Button

 
I recommend that USBP awards and devices be sold without restrictions, to the entire public.  
 
Let me establish some baselines on the unrestricted sale subject.  All military awards are defined in law, regulation, or Executive Orders. For the military, only awards that are defined in similar documents can be worn on a military uniform.  With the exception of the Medals of Honor, any person can buy and possess any military decoration.  With those facts in mind, no USBP award is authorized for wear on any military uniform because our awards, although designed by the Institute of Heraldry (TIOH), are only defined in a lower-level policy signed by an SES.  USBP awards are not defined in law, regulation, or Executive Orders. USBP Honorary Awards lack that level of legitimacy or bureaucratic prestige. 
 
Any person can buy and possess nearly any military decoration or device, but a USBP employee or retiree must jump through undefined hoops to get a replacement/extra medal set or authorized device.  
 
As a real-world example, a Newton-Azrak Award recipient contacted me about obtaining a medal set since he received his award before they were issued.  I put him in contact with the correct USBP HQ division who promptly denied his request.  On the recipient's behalf, I emailed the highest levels of Border Patrol headquarters until, almost three months later, the recipient received a Newton-Azrak Award Medal set from HQ.
 
It should not be difficult for a recipient to receive a replacement/extra award set.  A retiree should not have to persistently contact high-ranking USBP executives because a division of HQ failed to take care of the workforce or retirees.
 
If the BP Museum received authorization to sell all USBP awards and authorized devices, it would make it easy for employees and retirees to get replacement/extra sets.  If a collector wishes to purchase them, it would equate to additional revenue for the Museum.
 
Here's an example. A USBP Achievement Medal set costs @ $15-$20 to manufacture.  The Border Patrol Museum would have no problem selling them for $75.  Similar profit margins could be applied to every USBP award and USBP device.
 
Awards and devices would be available for purchase and the BP Museum would have several new streams of profitability.
 
Win Win Win
 
Now to the Newsletter!
 
This week starts with a great correction and addition in the Housekeeping section.  I actually do get excited to be corrected so that I may present the best USBP history available.
 
There are documents that pre-date the USBP, the Patrol's first job announcement, and a gunfight in El Paso and in Campo.  There is a fencing estimate from 1953, and the 35th anniversary of the Patrol's newest sector.
 
We remember three Newton-Azrak Award recipients on the anniversaries of their actions.
 
We also remember the loss of five of our fallen, including two that fell in the same event.  Friedrich Karl and John S. Blue fell due in the same incident in 1973.  A sad fact is that the USBP has lost two Agents/Inspectors due to the same event nine times (18 fallen).  Their names are listed below:

1. Donald Kee and William F. Buckelew in 1954
2. Douglas C. Shute and James M. Carter in 1956
3. Theodore L. Newton, Jr. and George F. Azrak in 1967
4. Friedrich Karl and John S. Blue in 1973
5. Susan L. Rodriguez and Ricardo G. Salinas in 1998
6. Jesus de la Ossa and Thomas J. Williams in 1998​
7. Travis W. Attaway and Jeremy M. Wilson in 2004
8. Ramon Nevarez, Jr. and David J. Tourscher in 2007
9. Hector R. Clark and Eduardo Rojas,  Jr. in 2011

 
Daniel P. Cox and Edgardo Acosta-Feliciano both fell on July 31, 2021.  However, their causes of death were not related.
 
Enjoy the newsletter and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

1991

Howard H. Gay
(1945-1990)
Border Patrol Pilot
Marfa Sector
Posthumously Awarded 
On October 3, 1990, while driving to work in the morning thick fog, Border Patrol Pilot Howard H. Gay noticed a stranded motorist on the highway.  Realizing the danger, Mr. Gay attempted to turn around to render assistance when he was struck and killed by an on-coming vehicle.  He will be remembered as a person always willing to help others in distress.

• Author's note - Why isn't this Newton-Azrak Award recipient not included among the honored fallen on the CBP Valor Memorial and the National Law Enforcement Officer's memorial?

 

1994

Jose (Joe) L. Perez
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent 
San Diego Sector
On the night of October 3, 1994, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jose (Joe) L. Perez was performing his patrol duties in the Dulzura, CA area on Highway 94.  Highway 94 runs east and west adjacent to the International Border between the United States and Mexico.  While performing his patrol duties, Agent Perez came upon a one-car vehicle accident.  Being the first law enforcement officer on the scene, Agent Perez took those steps necessary to notify the proper agencies through the Border Patrol Dispatch, and then took additional steps well above the call of duty.
 
Agent Perez observed that there were three occupants trapped inside a vehicle that was overturned and resting on its roof.  As Agent Perez approached the vehicle, he observed that the doors were jammed shut.  Agent Perez used what leverage he could and managed to open one front door.  Through this door, Agent Perez was able to remove the driver and the front seat passenger.  He placed both of them out of the flow of traffic and returned to the car.  Agent Perez then observed that the vehicle was on fire and that there was still one occupant trapped inside the vehicle.  Agent Perez reentered the vehicle and doubled his efforts to free the remaining passenger.  The last passenger was trapped between the collapsed roof of the vehicle and the rear seat with her legs hanging through the shattered rear window.  Using brute strength, Agent Perez was able to force the seat to move sufficiently to allow him to extricate the passenger.  Although the vehicle was on fire, Agent Perez took the time to ensure that any possible spinal or neck injuries were cared for before moving the passenger to a safe location.  Agent Perez continued performing immediate first aid until the arrival of the paramedics and fire units.
 

2021

​Robert S. Holmes - ​photo
Border Patrol Agent
Grand Forks, ND
On October 3, 2020 at 9:00 PM, Bottineau Station Border Patrol Agent Robert Holmes assisted local law enforcement with a call regarding a suicidal man who was on top of a 144-foot structure. Beyond the call of duty while facing grave danger, Agent Holmes went to the top of the structure to search for the man. Upon reaching the top, Agent Holmes began searching the massive area which was riddled with shafts, pipes and other industrial hazards. Under the cover of night, Agent Holmes was able to locate the man, who was armed with a knife, near the edge of a grain elevator. Agent Holmes began a tactful conversation with the man and ultimately talked him into storing the knife in his pocket and moving away from the edge to safety. Agent Holmes’ actions brought great credit upon himself and the United States Border Patrol.

1973

Friedrich Karl
Date of Birth:                July 15, 1923
Entered on Duty:          May 2, 1955
Title:                             Airplane Pilot
End of Watch:              October 4, 1973
 
Details:
Both Airplane Pilot Friedrich Karl and his observer, Senior Patrol Agent John S. Blue, were stationed at Yuma, Arizona, when they were killed in an airplane crash.

The officers were on a sign cutting and aircraft patrol assignment, having departed from the Yuma County Airport at approximately 6:00 a.m., on October 4, 1973. The flight also served to acquaint Senior Patrol Agent Blue with portions of the Yuma Sector since he had transferred there a short time before.  After some five hours of flight, the officers landed at the Stoker Company Airport at Tacna, Arizona, for a rest stop and to communicate with units from the Tacna Station relative to patrol plans and operations.

At approximately 12:00 noon, shortly after take-off from Tacna, the airplane struck a static line near the top of 52-foot poles of the Wellton Irrigation District power line. Contact of the landing gear with the static line caused the plane to flip, invert, and fall to the ground in an upside-down position.  Both of the officers were killed instantly upon impact.

Cremated
 

John S. Blue
Date of Birth:                April 6, 1935
Entered on Duty:          November 23, 1960
Title:                             Senior Patrol Agent
End of Watch:              October 4, 1973
 
Details:
Senior Patrol Agent John S. Blue was stationed at Yuma, Arizona, where, while serving as an observer, he was killed in the crash of a Border Patrol airplane being flown by Airplane Pilot Friedrich Karl, also of Yuma.  The officers were on a sign cutting and aircraft patrol assignment, having departed from the Yuma County Airport at approximately 6:00 a.m., on October 4, 1973. The flight also served to acquaint Senior Patrol Agent Blue with portions of the Yuma Sector since he had transferred there a short time before.
 
After some five hours of flight, the officers landed at the Stoker Company Airport at Tacna, Arizona, for a rest stop and to communicate with units from the Tacna Station relative to patrol plans and operations.  At approximately 12:00 noon, shortly after take-off from Tacna, the airplane struck a static line near the top of 52-foot poles of the Wellton Irrigation District power line. Contact of the landing gear with the static line caused the plane to flip, invert, and fall to the ground in an upside-down position.  Both of the officers were killed instantly upon impact.

Burial Details Unknown
 

2012

Nicholas J. Ivie
Date of Birth                 October 13, 1981
Entered on Duty:          January 3, 2008
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               October 2, 2012
 
Details:
On October 2, 2012, Border Patrol Agent Nicholas J. Ivie, of the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station was mortally wounded in the line of duty. Agent Ivie and separate group of two Border Patrol Agents were responding to a sensor activation in a remote area near Bisbee, Arizona.  Agent Ivie and one of the other Border Patrol Agents mistook the other in the darkness as an armed threat.  They engaged each other, unknowingly in a friendly versus friendly gunfight.  Both agents were injured by gunfire, with Agent Ivie suffering a fatal wound.
 
Agent Ivie entered on duty as a member of the 733rd academy session on January 3, 2008.  Agent Ivie was 30 years old at the time of his death and leaves behind a wife, two daughters, his parents and four siblings.

​Gravesite​
 

2019

Robert M. Hotten
Date of Birth:                September 24, 1975 
Entered on Duty:          September 10, 2009 
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent 
End of Watch:               October 6, 2019 
 
Details: 
On October 6, 2019, BPA Robert M. Hotten was investigating potential illegal cross-border activity in extremely rugged terrain near Patagonia, Arizona.  After he failed to respond to radio calls, fellow agents responded to his last known location and found him unresponsive.  Agent Hotten was airlifted to a hospital in Nogales, Arizona where he was later pronounced deceased. 
 
Agent Hotten entered on duty with the United States Border Patrol on September 10, 2009, as a member of the 910th session of the Border Patrol Academy.  He was assigned to the Sonoita Border Patrol Station in the Tucson Sector following his graduation.  Agent Hotten served with the United States Border Patrol for over 10 years.
 
Burial Details Unknown
 

2021

David H. Gray
Entered on Duty:           March 21, 2016
Title:                              Enforcement Analysis Specialist
End of Watch:               October 8, 2021

Details:
EAS Gray entered on duty on March 21, 2016. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Sector Intelligence Unit in Houlton Sector, Maine.  Before joining the U.S. Border Patrol, EAS Grey honorably served his country for 20 years in the U.S. Navy. 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 son, Harris; daughter, Marsilla; mother: Velva; and sister, Sandra.

Gravesite