November 27 - December 3Good morning! Welcome to another This Week in USBP History! It’s that time of the year again… Thanksgiving is over and it’s time to buy gifts for friends and loved ones. Do you have a special Border Patrol employee in your life? Maybe a special Border Patrol retiree? For you supervisors and managers, it's time for end-of-the-year performance awards, perhaps you would like to to recognize your folks while promoting organizational pride? Let me suggest that you visit the Border Patrol Museum Gift Shop. They have everything from coins, patches, apparel, etc... And they have USBP history books! As you have seen, there is only one author that I reference in these newsletters, retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Banco. His books are the finest and best referenced available and are without competition! I recommend buying the set of three as a gift:
For less than $50 you can purchase a great gift for a friend or a loved one or a meaningful non-traditional award for an employee. ![]() Also, Joe is finalizing Volume III. As soon as it's for sale, I'll let you know! I'm sure that I'll be one of the first to but it! Going on a tangent, please remember that the Border Patrol Museum is a non-profit organization. Donations and gift sales are crucial to its continuing existence. The majority of its funding comes from private donations. They need gift sales! If you're not already, please consider membership with the Museum for $40 per year. Visit this page for more information. I'm a continuing member and I love the calendar that I receive each year! Take a look at the Museum's newsletter, The Green Zone. Are you an agent, retiree of a collector that would enjoy purchasing a USBP Authorized Device or a USBP Honorary Award? Maybe you're a recipient and want an extra medal or device for wear. Or maybe you need them to a make a personal shadowbox or display. I'm sorry to inform you that there isn't a mechanism for you or anyone else to obtain or purchase USBP devices or Honorary Awards. You are 100% out-of-luck!
Perhaps USBP HQ would like to see a plan that is beneficial to the workforce, and the Border Patrol Museum would like to see a plan to create funding streams that I believe would be significant. If you agree, send this newsletter link to whomever you think should be aware. The FBI made the template, the current and former workforce, and the BP Museum should be able to benefit from the same approach. This week has tons of documents and occurrences! In 1931, Jeff Milton becomes an Immigrant Inspector ( a position he would hold until his retirement in 1932). There are four separate gunfights in El Paso in the late 1920's (Patrol Inspector Roger's granddaughter gave me his photo to display). We have the Patrol creating Con-Air in 1955 and much more! We celebrate five agents on the anniversaries of their Newton-Azrak Award actions. And, we remember four of our fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths. Have a great week! Cliff PS -
Esprit de Corps The workplace climate resulting from a combination of organizational pride and employee morale.
Esprit de corps is reinforced through the shared goals, mission and values of the organization and its employees. The definition turns Esprit de Corps into a simple formula and defines parts that comprise organizational pride and employee morale. Esprit de Corps = Organizational Pride + Employee Morale Esprit de Corps is the key to a healthy organization and engaged employees. Honor First is foundational to the Border Patrol's organizational pride and integral to its Esprit de Corps. ![]() Documents/Events 1913
Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries Follow this link to see examples of USBP employees Upholding Honor First.
1988 Charles J. Kothman Border Patrol Agent New Orleans Sector Craig L. Weinbrenner Border Patrol Agent New Orleans Sector William A. Preston Supervisory Border Patrol Agent New Orleans Sector Robert S. Coleman Jr. Supervisory Border Patrol Agent El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agent Charles J. Kothman, Border Patrol Agent Craig L. Weinbrenner, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Robert S. Coleman Jr., and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent William A. Preston were recognized for their actions to help control the uprising of Cuban detainees at the Federal Detention Facility in Oakdale, Louisiana, from November 21, 1987 to November 30, 1987. 2017 Osbaldo Rios Border Patrol Agent Tucson, Arizona On November 29, 2017, Three Points Border Patrol Agent Osbaldo Rios displayed exceptional composure and courage, saving the lives of his partner and himself. Agent Rios was performing patrol duties in an area located approximately 50 miles southwest of Tucson, and about 15 miles north of the international border with Mexico. Agent Rios and two partners had responded to a ground sensor activation in a remote canyon of the Baboquivari Mountains when they observed a group of five suspected illegal aliens. As the agents closed in, the suspects scattered in multiple directions. The agents gave chase and three suspects were apprehended. One agent maintained custody of those suspects while Agent Rios and his other partner continued pursuit of the remaining two. His partner observed a suspect and immediately gave chase, physically engaging the suspect as he was attempting to descend a steep embankment. During the physical encounter, Agent Rios partner rolled down the embankment, with the suspect ending atop of him. As the struggle ensued, the suspect struck the agent several times in the face. The event was observed by an Air and Marine Operations aircraft, and relayed to the other agents. During the encounter, the suspect gained control of the agent's sidearm. As Agent Rios approached his partner's location, he observed the suspect with a firearm pointed at his partner. Agent Rios called out to the suspect to draw his attention and avert him from firing. The suspect looked toward Agent Rios, now aiming the weapon at him. Without hesitation, Agent Rios discharged his service weapon, neutralizing the threat. Agent Rios swift and decisive action resulted in preventing the death or injury of his partner, and himself. USBP Fallen As of May 16, 2022, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 152* fallen. Titles:
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.
1974
Oscar T. Torres Date of Birth: April 19, 1937 Entered on Duty: June 19, 1969 Title: Patrol Agent End of Watch: November 30, 1974 Details: Patrol Agent Oscar T. Torres was assigned the midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift on November 30, 1974, in the El Paso Station area. At approximately 2:30 a.m., he proceeded to the West Railroad Bridge to assist in opening the gates for a train inbound from Mexico. Agent Torres and Patrol Agent (Trainee) Robert M. Worsham walked onto the bridge to open the gates while Worsham's partner, Patrol Agent Wayne Winn, Jr., remained with an apprehended alien in a Border Patrol vehicle at the end of the bridge. After opening the gates and while walking back toward the vehicle, Agent Torres stumbled and fell headfirst through an opening in the bridge to the river bottom, a distance of 25 feet. The fall was witnessed only by the alien, as Trainee Worsham and Agent Winn were not facing toward Torres when the accident took place. The officers immediately went to the aid of Agent Torres, and an ambulance soon removed him to Providence Memorial Hospital. He expired at 4:55 a.m., the cause of death being listed as concussion. Gravesite 1989 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. Gravesite 2021 Martin Barrios Entered on Duty: April 28, 2003 Title: Supervisory Border Patrol Agent End of Watch: November 29, 2021 Details: SBPA Barrios entered on duty on April 28, 2003, as part of the 548th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Brian A. Terry Station in the Tucson Sector, Arizona. SBPA Barrios served his country in the United States Navy from 1990 to 1995 prior to joining the United States Border Patrol. 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 Gaby; children: Marty and Samantha; and siblings: Laura and Corina. Cremated Salvador Martinez Jr. Entered on Duty: June 24, 2002 Title: Border Patrol Agent End of Watch: November 30, 2021 Details: Agent Martinez entered on duty on June 24, 2002, as part of the 516th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Alamogordo Station in the El Paso 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 Leonor; daughter: Itzel; Father: Salvador; siblings: Elva and Lourdes; and cousins Border Patrol Agent Jesus Aguilar and CBP Management and Program Analyst Fabian Aguilar Sr. Agent Martinez was preceded in death by his mother Julia. Cremated
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November 20 - November 26![]() Good morning! Welcome to another This Week in USBP History! This past week saw the 191st Newton-Azrak Award presented when Border Patrol Agent Leobardo Jacinto was recognized for a harrowing action that occurred in 2010. The 12th anniversary of his action is November 20th and is listed below with the other Newton-Azrak Award anniversaries. Last week, I glossed over an incredible anniversary for the Patrol as as I wrote about Border Patrol Agent John "Charlie" Gigax. I glossed over is what I consider to be the genesis story of the Patrol. Rather than speak of a single document, I'm going to share the story... For a quick background, I wrote the article in 2018 after having visited the National Archives several times beginning in December 2017. In my first research visit to the Archives, I found many of the documents in the article below. I would also find documents that would correct inaccurate Border Patrol history and folklore. Such as... Where the Legend Began - Leading up to the Border Patrol's 75th anniversary in 1999, El Paso Sector was planning events and initiatives for the benchmark date. Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David B. Ham was assigned as the sector's lead. As part of the pending celebration, El Paso's Chief Patrol Agent tasked Chief Ham with creating a slogan for El Paso. Based on the common and incorrect belief that El Paso was the location of the first sector and station, as well as the location of the first National Border Patrol Training School, he coined the phrase, "Where the Legend Began". However, historical documents show that El Paso was neither the location of the first "sector" nor the first station. When funding (pg. 240) was received in 1924, all of the first 32 "sectors" and stations came into being, simultaneously nationwide. Not to lessen the value of the City of El Paso in Border Patrol history, it is believed that Frank Berkshire authored his proposals to create the Border Patrol while in his office El Paso. Evidence suggests that the building in which his office was located is still standing, the Mills Building. Please see the letterhead in this document. The story is in the article below... The Father of the border Patrol |
Clifford GillBlog author, retired U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief and, current U.S. Border Patrol employee advocate. Ray HarrisSite founder and owner, former Supervisory Border Patrol Agent and retired Immigration Special Agent. Joseph BancoU.S. Border Patrol historian and retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent. Archives
February 2025
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