This Week in USBP History, Vol. 18

January 2 - January 8

All,

Happy New Year!

Repeating last week, Ray and I are always striving to make HonorFirst.com a better site for the thousands of people who visit it each month.  Especially, for the USBP applicants and, current and former agents/inspectors. As an open and continuous favor/requests, will you take a little time to visit the HonorFirst Photo Galleries and the the pages under Upholding Honor First?  If you have any photographs or pictures of USBP related awards, please send them to me (I could really use an old INS Outstanding rating certificate).  I really want to grow these pages.  Additionally, we really depend upon the active employees to keep the site current.  Please let other active folks know that we’d love to post their photographs and awards here.  

Finally, last week was the anniversary of the action for the most recent Newton-Azrak Award recipient, Agent Michael Linder.  I only saw his award pop up on social media.  For the active folks again, please let me know whenever a new Newton-Azrak Award recipient is recognized so I can keep the page up to date and highlight the incredible works of the Patrol’s employees!  

Thank you!

​Enjoy this week’s update!

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USBP History
“Organizational pride is the positive feeling experienced by employees from being part of a meaningful team that is rich in history, tradition and culture.”  Honor First and Esprit De Corps
1925

• On January 3, 1925, Percy L. Prentis (the District Director of District #11, the Detroit District), forwarded an activity report of the Marine City Sub-district to the Commissioner-General.  The report was written by Ruel Davenport who was the Patrol Inspector in Charge (PIIC) for the sub-district. A little over a year later, General Order 61 (GO61) would be implemented and Ruel Davenport and George Harris would become the first “Chiefs” of the Border Patrol.  The Order would also change the name of “Patrol Inspector in Charge” to “Chief Patrol Inspector”.  Sub-districts would be renamed sectors in the 1940’s.

1926

• On January 4, 1926, PIIC Ruel Davenport submitted a Report of Activities for the Month of December 1925 for the Marine City Sub-district.  Like the report from a year earlier, this offers an interesting glimpse into the early work conducted by the Border Patrol in the Detroit area.
• On January 5, 1926, George T. Montegue, the PIIC of the Detroit Intelligence Division submitted an activity report to District Director Prentis.  This is the earliest Border Patrol intel unit of which I am aware.
  • This 1925 document is the earliest document of the “so-called Intelligence Division” the Detroit District and in the Border Patrol.

1927

• On January 5, 1927, Supervisor of the Border Patrol George Harris wrote to the Commissioner-General his recommendations for Border Patrol uniform fabric.
  • The position “Supervisor of the Border Patrol” is synonymous with the modern position “Chief of the Border Patrol”.  Later in 1927, Harris would be reassigned leaving only Davenport as the sole “Chief” until 1932 (see 1932 below).
• On January 7, 1927, Harry R. Landis (the Commissioner of Immigration of District #1, the Montreal District) wrote a request to the Commissioner-General to rent approximately 20 horses from the U.S. Army so that Border Patrol Inspectors could use them to patrol the border in the winter months.
  • It should be noted that the district was headquartered in Montreal, Canada.  The district included the Houlton, Newport, Rouses Point and Massena Sub-districts.

1929

• On January 2, 1929, William W. Tuttle (the Commissioner of Immigration for District #17, the New Orleans District), wrote a 10-page paper concerning the activities of the Border Patrol Inspectors under his supervision.  At the time, the district contained two sub-districts (sectors), New Orleans and Gulfport.

1932

• On January 5, 1932, GO61 was superseded with two other General Orders which created two Border Districts, and the position of Supervisor of the Border Patrol was change to Director, Border Patrol. The two-border district approach was very short lived, beginning in 1932 and ending in 1933 when the General Orders below were superseded with General Order 203 which reinstated GO61 effective June 1, 1933. 
  • General Order 183 - Created the Director of the Border Patrol for the Mexican Border, Gulf and Florida immigration districts.  The district was headquartered in El Paso and George Harris came back to be the "Chief" for a nonconsecutive term.
  • General Order 184 - which created the Director of the Canadian Border District.  The district was headquartered in Detroit and Frank Berkshire, the Father of the Border Patrol, became the third person to be "Chief" of the Border Patrol.

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Newton-Azrak Award Actions
(Upholding Honor First)
An organization’s values are codified in its awards system. Recognizing the achievements, service and heroism of employees is important.  It is critical for those in positions of leadership to value the workforce.  Awards are a fundamental manner for leaders to demonstrate appreciation to the workforce for upholding the organizational values. – U.S. Border Patrol Honorary Awards
Agent Marquissee’s action (below) is an example of a heroic action being recognized many years after the act; an example of the Border Patrol correcting a past wrong.  It is an example of the USBP valuing its workforce and upholding Honor First!  This was and is possible because the USBP Honorary Awards policy allows the Border Patrol to take care of its employees by recognizing past actions:  

• Section 4.14 of the policy allows any current employee that has under-recognized or unrecognized acts of heroism to be nominated, approved and presented the appropriate Honorary Award using the modern criteria. 
• Section 5.3 of the policy allows any current employee that has received a significant past recognition to be nominated, approved and presented the appropriate Honorary Award using the modern criteria.

 
2020
John P. Marquissee - photo, award set, certificate
Border Patrol Agent
Westmore, VT 
Past Event 
On January 5, 2012 at approximately 4:00 PM, off-duty Border Patrol Agent John Marquissee saw a vehicle accident in which a car was overturned and partially submerged in Lake Willoughby near Westmore, VT. Knowing a person was in dire need of help, Agent Marquissee, beyond the call of duty while facing grave danger, entered the partially frozen lake. Once at the vehicle, Agent Marquissee saw that a female victim was trapped in the car. Agent Marquissee then broke out the rear window of the car and helped the victim escape the vehicle. Agent Marquissee took the victim to shore saving her life. Agent Marquissee’s actions brought great credit upon himself and the United States Border Patrol.

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USBP Fallen
As of December 8, 2021, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 151* fallen.
Titles

• 3 Mounted Watchmen fell before 1924 and are carried as Border Patrol fallen
• 48 Border Patrol Inspectors fell between 1924 and 1970
• 99 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.

 
1930
William D. McCalib
Date of Birth:                        December 20, 1895               
Entered on Duty:                   December 4, 1928
Title:                                    Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:                       January 7, 1930
Details:
On January 7, 1930, Patrol Inspector McCalib, together with Senior Patrol Inspector West, apprehended Pedro Rendon, at Alice, Texas. Rendon was suspected of being an alien unlawfully in the United States. Rendon claimed that the proprietor of a restaurant in Alice could vouch for him and, accordingly, the officers put Rendon in the back seat of the car and drove to the restaurant. Senior Patrol Inspector West entered the establishment to interview the proprietor while Inspector McCalib remained in the car with Rendon. During West's absence, Rendon drew a pistol and shot McCalib in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Rendon was subdued and taken into custody by Senior Patrol Inspector West. It was later discovered that Rendon, alias Jose Ramirez, was an escaped convict.
Survivor benefits - As per this document, his wife received $69.75 per month for her and their child.  Upon the death of his wife, his child received $38.75 per month.
 
1985
Manuel Salcido, Jr.
Date of Birth:                April 25, 1950
Entered on Duty:          March 12, 1984
Title:                             Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:              January 2, 1985
 
Details:
On January 2, 1985, Agent Salcido was enroute to Del Rio Sector Headquarters and travelling in a seized 1975 Ford sedan. Agent Salcido's vehicle went out of control on an ice-glazed concrete bridge and was struck broadside on the driver's side by a southbound vehicle in the southbound lane. The other vehicle was a 1984 Suburban enroute to Eagle Pass, Texas. Agent Salcido was killed and the driver of the second vehicle was hospitalized with head and chest injuries. No other persons were involved in the accident.
 
1995
Jose A. Nava
Date of Birth:                July 6, 1958
Entered on Duty:          January 27, 1987
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               January 7, 1995
 
Details:
On January 6, 1995, Agent Jose A. Nava was on his way to conduct a train check. He was traveling on Farm Road 1572, 45 miles east of Del Rio, Texas. His Service vehicle struck a deer causing him to lose control. The vehicle overturned several times and Agent Nava was thrown from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:40 a.m. on January 7, 1995.
Jose Nava was born in Brownsville, Texas. He began his career with the Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas. On April 9, 1989, he transferred to the Del Rio Sector and was assigned to the Brackettville Station.