This Week in USBP History, Vol. 12

November 21 - November 27

USBP History

1918

• The subject of this document from November 25, 1918 isn’t as important as some other information it contains.  
  • This document identifies George Harris (the only “chief” of the Border Patrol to serve nonconsecutive terms) as being the “Assistant Supervising Inspector”.  Approximately 1909-1922, Frank Berkshire (Father of the Border Patrol) was the Supervising Inspector of the Mexican Border District.
  • The document also identifies the work location of Harris and Berkshire as the Mills building in El Paso.  That building is still standing and is the location in which Berkshire authored his proposals to create the Border Patrol in 1918 justifying that the City of El Paso is “Where the legend began”.

1925

• The subject of this document from November 25, 1925 isn’t as important as some other information it contains.  
  • George Harris was the District Director of the El Paso District (modern-day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors).
  • A mechanic could and was appointed as an Acting Border Patrol Inspector.

1929

• On November On November 21, 1929, El Paso District Director Grover Wilmoth repeated a warning to all district employees concerning reading unofficial documents and engaging in unofficial conversation. This warning covered modern-day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors. 

1956

• Early documents like this one from 1926, show that a Patrol Inspector’s career path would require becoming a Immigrant Inspector (later renamed an Immigration Inspector) to achieve higher Border Patrol positions.  This document from November 26, 1956 demonstrates the difficulties of that promotional approach as different laws were enacted such as those effecting law enforcement retirement. 

2002

• Many erroneously believe that U.S. Customs Service was disbanded or dissolved like the Immigration and Naturalization Service.  This public law from November 25, 2002, clearly shows that the Customs Service was renamed the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, not disbanded/dissolved and assigned the U.S. Border Patrol to it (see page 186).

---

Newton-Azrak Award Actions (Upholding Honor First)

1994
Robert E. Lindemann
Senior Patrol Agent
Detroit Sector
On November 24, 1994, two small children were kidnapped in Windsor, Ontario, Canada by a suspect who had three warrants in Canada for Threats to Cause Death and Assault.  The suspect, with the abducted children, then illegally entered the United States by running through the Port of Entry at Detroit, Michigan, in his vehicle.
 
Senior Patrol Agent Robert E. Lindemann immediately commenced an investigation into the incident.  After a diligent investigation, utilizing numerous sources, Agent Lindemann was able to locate the abducted children in a barricaded house where he safely rescued the children.  Agent Lindemann then returned the children back to the Canadian Police authorities and their grateful mother.
 
During this international incident, Agent Lindemann exhibited exemplary self-motivation in initiating this investigation.  His professional demeanor in this incident reflects the highest standards of competence of the Border Patrol. 


2013
Armando Ledezma
Border Patrol Agent 
Wellton, Arizona
For heroic actions to save a deputy and hospital staff from a violent felon. On November 21, 2012, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Armando Ledezma was assigned to hospital watch duties at Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma, Arizona. He heard a nurse shouting for security and immediately responded to the room from which the nurse had exited. As he entered the room, he saw a tall, heavyset man moving on the floor. As Agent Ledezma attempted to gain control of the man, he discovered that the subject was an inmate who had pinned an exhausted sheriff’s deputy to the floor and was struggling for the deputy’s holstered service weapon. At great personal risk, Agent Ledezma kept the inmate from getting the deputy’s weapon. Agent Ledezma grabbed one of the inmate’s hands, allowing the deputy to secure his weapon and control the inmate’s other hand. Agent Ledezma then handcuffed the inmate, ending the scuffle. Agent Ledezma’s brave actions and quick thinking saved the deputy from death or injury.

---

​USBP Fallen

As of November 11, 2021, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 149* fallen.
Titles

• 3 Mounted Watchmen fell before 1924 and are carried as Border Patrol fallen
• 48 Border Patrol Inspectors fell between 1924 and 1970
• 97 Border Patrol Agents have fallen since 1970
• 1 Enforcement Analysis Specialist

The names that appear below hold a place of honor. They have made the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to fulfill the oath each officer took to protect and defend the United States of America.
 
The facts regarding each officer are presented without major editing of the "language of the day" found in the reports detailing the circumstances of each event. This is done to provide the reader an association with historical timeframes.

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

*With the exception of two of the fallen immediately below, all names are listed (or in the process of being included) on the official Honor Roll of U.S. Border Patrol fallen and inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.  The U.S. Border Patrol should fix these discrepancies. HonorFirst.com honors both of the fallen.

• Joe R. White - He is recognized as officially fallen by the U.S. Border Patrol but his name is not inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial.
• John Charles Gigax - His name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial (see link) but he is not recognized as officially fallen by the U.S. Border Patrol.  His EOW was November 7, 1999.

 

Thomas K. Byrd
Date of Birth:                September 12, 1954
Entered on Duty:          August 19, 1983
Title:                             Border Patrol Agent (Trainee)
End of Watch:               November 21, 1983
 
Details:
Border Patrol Agent (Trainee) Thomas K. Byrd was struck by an eastbound vehicle at about 5:00 p.m. on the afternoon of November 21, 1983, when the motorcycle on which he was a passenger, lost control. The owner and driver of the motorcycle, Border Patrol Agent (Trainee) James Hearne, was unable to see a vehicle making a left-hand turn as he and Agent Byrd left the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to drop off a payment for class T-shirts that had been promised to the vendor by close of business on that date. Apparently, when Agents Hearne and Byrd left the training center, the sun was positioned in front of them in such a manner as to make visibility very difficult. When Agent Hearne realized that a vehicle in front of him was about to make a stop (or turn) it was too late to make a safe stop. Agent Hearne made a correction to the left side of the vehicle in an effort to avoid the collision, but lost control of the motorcycle in the attempt. The motorcycle fell to the ground throwing Agent Hearne into the path of the oncoming traffic. However, Agent Byrd was struck by a vehicle in the oncoming traffic and dragged for some distance. He was rushed to Brunswick Memorial Hospital by ambulance, where all efforts to save him failed. He was pronounced dead at approximately 7:00 p.m. by the attending physician. Both Agents Byrd and Hearne were attending the 151th Session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy, Glynco, Georgia, when the accident occurred. Border Patrol Agent (Trainee) Byrd was a high academic achiever and was regarded with high esteem by the members of his class.

 
John D. Keenan
Date of Birth:                February 11, 1953
Entered on Duty:          November 16, 1987
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent
 End of Watch:              November 27, 1989
 
Details:
At about 3:50 a.m., on November 27, 1989, Border Patrol Agent John D. Keenan was involved in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 83 at FM-492 near Mission, Texas. He was operating a Service vehicle and was driving east on U.S. Highway 83 when a northbound vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed on FM- 492 failed to yield the right-of-way, causing the accident. Patrol Agent Keenan died at the scene from multiple injuries sustained in the accident.