This Week in USBP History, Vol. 21

January 23 - January 29

Good morning,
Before the history updates I just want to send another reminder that I need help in populating the Upholding Honor First pages with the good works of the workforce, which includes you!  Please take a moment to look at those pages. I would greatly appreciate receiving anything you can send to me to post.  And please feel free to share the pages as you feel comfortable.

Thank you and have a great week!
 

From Honor First and ​Esprit De Corps - 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 employees 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.

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USBP History
This week, I only have one document that has an anniversary.  However, to save you from suffering from USBP history withdraws, let me offer you the following to read:

• The Father of the Border Patrol – This well referenced article tells what I think is the best genesis story of the U.S. Border Patrol and how it was the idea of a single person, Frank W. Walton. Berkshire authored his proposals to create the USBP in his office in the Mills Building in El Paso giving credence to the slogan, “Where the Legend Began”. Running down a tangent…
  • Where did the slogan originate - Leading up to the Border Patrol's 75th anniversary in 1998-1999, 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 belief that El Paso was the location of the first sector and station, 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 USBP "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. Note - David Ham retired many years ago, is BCC’d on this email and is currently the President of the Board of Governors of the Border Patrol Museum, a non-profit organization (CFC #16083). Please consider visiting the Border Patrol Museum's Gift Shop.  The Border Patrol Museum receives no federal funds and relies on donations and gift sales to remain open.
• The U.S. Border Patrol’s Early Rank and Time-in-Service Insignia – This page gives a glimpse of the USBP’s early hierarchy after the implementation of General Order 61 in 1926.  It also contains a GIF that has a series of 12 images. The images cycle every 5 seconds and show examples of the mentioned insignia (be patient).
• How about I answer a question.  If still standing, would the location of the original Border Patrol Academy in El Paso (Camp Chigas) now be located in Mexico?
  • If still standing, the building housing the El Paso Sub-district 2 headquarters and station, and the first national training school (Camp Chigas) would be located in the United States by 10-20 feet.  See this document for the research and location.
  • 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 for the research and location.

Now the sole document for this week…
1925

• On January 27, 1925, Commissioner-General William W. Husband wrote a memo to Irving F. Wixon who was the Commissioner of the Montreal District. A few of items of interest:  
  • The Border Patrol is an incredibly proud organization.  The quote below shows that that pride was instilled, in part, by the head of the agency,
    • “…our Border Patrol must not become subservient to any other service. We will work together but not underneath.” 
  • Evidently, $38K was requested to purchase and maintain vehicles.  $88K was given.  Further, the $1.0M budget for the USBP was approved a second year in a row, indication significant Congressional support.
  • The Bureau of Immigration received funding from Public Law 68-153, an approved appropriations bill (page 240), on May 28, 1924.  This document did not create the Border Patrol but funded the Bureau of Immigration to increase the "land-border patrol" functions of which were already being performed.  The Bureau of Immigration used the funding to create the Immigration Border Patrol, a concept that had been introduced as early as 1914 as per this document.  The Commissioner-General reinforces the sentiment in the following statement:
    • “The Bureau having succeeded in creating a permanent Border Patrol force…”

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Newton-Azrak Award Actions 
(Follow this link to see examples of USBP employees 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

No known Newton-Azrak Award anniversaries for the week.
However, I will highlight the action of Michael G. McManus (1937-2019).  He was the first Border Patrol Agent to be a recipient of the Newton-Azrak Award in 1973.  His date of action is unknown.
Michael G. McManus
Border Patrol Agent
Houlton Sector
Border Patrol Agent Michael G. McManus was recognized for his heroic and unselfish performance in rescuing a man from a burning building.  
McManus had been called out in the early morning hours by the Calais Police Department to question a Canadian citizen.  Upon leaving his house, he observed what appeared to be a prowler in the yard of his neighbor’s home.  However, upon investigating, he discovered it was not a prowler, but a visitor in his neighbor’s home who had fled from the house, which was on fire.
McManus, without thought of himself, entered the flaming house in search of his neighbor, was driven back out into the air, and once again entered the house, remaining until he located the unconscious victim and brought him safely out of the burning building.
BPA McManus’ actions did not end with rescuing the man from the flaming house.  Once outside, he then began resuscitation efforts and although exhausted from is efforts, continued his assistance by going to the hospital and helping the staff in removing the burnt clothing from the victim.

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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.

 
Aurelio E. Valencia
Date of Birth:                November 12, 1963
Entered on Duty:          February 28, 1985
Title:                              Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               January 25, 1996
Details:
On January 25, 1996, Border Patrol Agent Aurelio E. Valencia was involved in a vehicle accident on California State Route 78, near Glamis, California.  Permanently assigned to the Blythe Station, Agent Valencia was working backup for the Highway 78 checkpoint. As he attempted a U-turn to get behind and investigate a suspected smuggling vehicle parked south of the checkpoint, his Service vehicle was struck broadside by a southbound motorist. Agent Valencia died at the scene from injuries sustained in the accident.
Agent Valencia began his career with INS as a student aide at Tucson Sector Headquarters. He was promoted to Clerk two months later. After a short break in service, he entered on duty as an Immigration Detention Officer at Wilcox Station, Tucson Sector, on November 26, 1986. On June 13, 1988, he entered on duty as a Border Patrol Agent at Blythe Station, Yuma Sector, the position he was filling at the time of his death.