This Week in USBP History, Vol. 37

May 15 - May 21

Good morning!
 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  

Coming up on next week's anniversary of the Border Patrol, there are some documents that shed light into the uncertainty that existed as the Bureau of Immigration was on the brink of created ing the Border Patrol.  Last week, with the April 30, 1924 memo, we saw there wasn't a plan that was being implemented. This week there are two documents of note.  One concerning a recommendation for the title of the new position.  The other, a lengthy and sharp criticism of only receiving $1,000,000 to to increase the "land-border patrol" and also includes what could be the foundations of "Honor First".  

I also present evidence that the first class a of a National Border Patrol Training School occurred on May 18, 1936, not on December 3, 1934. 

Those are your teasers! 

​Let us also remember El Cajon Station Border Patrol Agent Daniel Salazar who was killed in an on-duty single vehicle accident on May 13, 2022.  By the time of this writing, the Line of Death Determination has been made but not released.

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 attach them to a reply to this email).
• 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.
• I also send out a weekly This Week in USBP History ​email.  If you'd like to be added to the list, email me at [email protected].

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HOUSE KEEPING
This is the section where I correct the mistakes from my last email.  I will also use this section to provide other perspectives of USBP history.

• In one of the entries, I erroneously listed George Harris' lifespan as "1976-1941".  It should have been 1876-1941.

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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.

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Documents/Events

1922

• On May 18, 1922, a meeting occurred concerning creating a "border patrol".  This document gives a highlight of the meeting as well as those in attendance.  Interestingly, the meeting was organized by H.P. Perrill who is believed to be U.S. Navy Captain Harlan Page Perrill (1874-1962).

1924

• By April 30, 1924, the Bureau of Immigration knew that it was going to receive significant funding to increase their "land-border patrol" functions of which were already being performed.  On that date, the Commissioner-General issued a memorandum to the eleven districts that were to receive funding to hire personnel to create a "land-border patrol".  The districts were instructed to respond via telegram with the number of inspectors they wished to hire. See the memo and responding telegraphs.
  
  • At the time, George Harris (1876-1941) was the District Director of the El Paso District.  The El Paso District oversaw three sub-districts which have become the modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors.  Also, Harris would be one of the first two "Chiefs" of the Border Patrol in 1926 and the only person to have been "Chief" twice (the position was called Supervisor in 1926 and Director in 1932). 
    • I would also mention that on his death in 1941, man newspapers referred to him as the "Father of the Border Patrol".  However, not document have been discovered that demonstrate his contributions as exists to support Frank Berkshire having the title "Father of the Border Patrol".
  • After his district responded to the Commissioner-General's April 30th call, on May 15, 1924, Harris sent an unsolicited 8-page memo slamming the $1,000,000 amount by saying, "One Million Dollars will not do this, nor in the writer's opinion, would Five Million Dollars. Possibly and probably an organization of a sufficiently comprehensive character to absolutely cork the frontiers would cast nearer Eight Million Dollars."  That's your teaser if you want to read it.
    
  • Also, in the memo is some language that could be the beginnings of Honor First (quote below).  Based on an Immigration Service index reference from 1929, coupled with the 1927 Commissioner General's report to the Secretary of the Department of Labor, it is believed that the motto originated in the El Paso District (which encompasses modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors) sometime in 1926. The excerpt from the 1927 Commissioner General's report is the earliest use of "Honor First" that has been found.  The report covers July 1926 - June 1927 (FY27).
    
    • There is nothing that the writer regards as more important than the select on of the right kind of men,- men who will reflect credit upon themselves and the Service,- men who will cultivate the good will of the public,- men of unimpeachable integrity,- men of sobriety, industry and equally important, men who understand the value of courtesy. It seems to the writer that conceding for the sake of discussion that the men we get are honest, sober, industrious, level-headed, courageous, possessed of moral and physical stamina, the experiment would be doomed to failure if we were to overlook for one moment the value of having an organization noted for courtesy and dignity. These two things count tremendously with the public; courtesy and dignity. If we get men who are rough, uncouth, arbitrary, discourteous, we are surely going to build up a sentiment of antagonism that will be reflected in the halls of Congress.
      
• On May 20, 1924, the Acting District Director of the San Antonio District wrote a memo to the Commissioner-General concerning the title of the new "patrolmen".  The author advocates that the new position have the title Inspector, "...a designation which will be more fitting to the work which they will perform."

1933

• On May 17, 1933, the short-lived two border district approach (1932-1933) came to an end as General Order 203 came into effect reinstating General Order 61 effective June 1, 1933.  The two border district approach was created when the two general orders below superseded General Order 61:
  
  • 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 (1876-1941) came back to be the "Chief" for a nonconsecutive term.
    
  • General Order 184 - Created the Director of the Canadian Border District.  The district was headquartered in Detroit and Frank Berkshire (1870-1934), the Father of the Border Patrol, became the third person to be "Chief" of the Border Patrol.

1935

• On May 20, 1935, a blueprint for a USBP sub-district headquarters was finalized.  Interestingly, the design included a bunk room.
  
  • It is believed that the blueprinting is related to the April 1, 1935, memo written by Chief of the Border Patrol Willard Kelly, one of the earliest documents concerning construction of facilities for the USBP.  The USBP had always utilized existing structures for Border Patrol work.  This document proposed new construction for the first time.

1936

• On May 18, 1936, it is believed that the first class of the Border Patrol Training School began based on this  document​ .
  
  • A photograph (courtesy of the  Border Patrol Museum)  of a Border Patrol training class that was in session December 3, 1934 - March 17, 1935, is used as the birthdate of the USBP Academy.  It is unknown if Camp Chigas had been used by the El Paso District (Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sub-districts) to train district employees before that photo. However, the concept of creating a national academy had been discussed and researched in 1934 (see this document and this document).  Records were not kept that identified the date that Camp Chigas began training all Border Patrol new hires and therefore became the national Academy. Nevertheless, 1936 is the year that documents support that having occurred.​
    
  • It should be noted, 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.  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.

1952

• On May 21, 1952, the El Paso District and the County of El Paso entered into a lease agreement to house the Border Patrol Training School.  The lease was $1.00 per year.  The location was identified as the Ascarate Park.

1956

• On May 16, 1956, two documents were written to support the construction of additional border fencing:
  
  • This document provides a justification for both the fencing that existed at the time as well as the construction of new fencing.  On an interesting note, this document provides that the USBP was apprehending approximately 200 aliens per day on the southern border, a striking contrast to modern numbers.
    
  • This document provides estimates for the additional manpower and equipment needed if the request for additional fencing were not approved.  the fencing locations are identified as Chula Vista, Calexico, Yuma, El Paso and Brownsville.
    
• On May 18, 1956, a memo was written concerning the transfer of GS-7 Border Patrol Inspectors.  It gives a valuable insight to the INS hierarchy and locations of the time.

2020

• On May 19, 2020, a memo​ was issued to change the criteria of the USBP Purple Cross.
  
  • The updated criteria allowed the USBP to commemorate the physical sacrifices of workforce suffered due to duty related injuries and wounds inflicted that are attributed to the criminal acts.  
    
    • Wounds attributed to criminal acts are distinguished with a "V" device affixed to the suspension ribbon and the ribbon bar.
      
  • Before this update, only agents suffering significant injuries due to the criminal acts on another person would be eligible for the award.  Therefore, the majority of the USBP's fallen could not have their deaths commemorated with the decoration.  With the update, all past and future agents who die in the line of duty are eligible to receive the award.

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Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries​

This Week in USBP History, 05/08-05/145/8/2022
0 Comments

 
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!  
 
There are no Newton-Azrak Award action anniversaries this week.  But, I am highlighting five recipients from 1984 whose dates of action are unknown or whose actions spanned a timeframe. I should also mention that a Newton-Azrak Award recipient, George E. Evancheck (award statuette, notification letter), had somehow been omitted from any lists and was at risk of being forgotten.  I have added him to the the HonorFirst Newton-Azrak Award page and will add more information once its found.
 
Also, among the anniversaries of the fallen are Hector R. Clark and Eduardo Rojas, Jr. who fell due to the same incident in 2011.  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.
 
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 attach them to a reply to this email).
• 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.
• I also send out a weekly This Week in USBP History ​email.  If you'd like to be added to the list, email me at [email protected].

Housekeeping
​
This is the section where I correct the mistakes from my last email.  I will also use this section to provide other perspectives of USBP history.
 
I didn't find any errors of significance from last week.


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.


Documents/Events
 
1914

• On May 14, 1914, future Chief and Father of the Border Patrol Frank Berkshire (1870-1934) wrote a memo to the Commissioner-General recommending against expanding the duties of Junior Inspectors, a position that had been announced in 1913​.
  • In 1924, Border Patrol Inspectors had no immigration authority.  By law, authority rested with employees who had the title "Immigrant Inspector" who were paid more than Border Patrol Inspectors.  In order that Border Patrol Inspectors might receive legal authority without being paid more, the Commissioner-General wrote a proposal to the Second Assistant Secretary of the Department a Labor requesting to resurrect a plan that was used in 1913 for Mounted Watchmen, and to rename Border Patrol Inspectors, Junior Immigrant Inspectors. See this document.

1924

• On May 13, 1924, the San Antonio District sent a detailed memo to the Central Office in response to an April 30, 1924 request.  The San Antonio District memo described, in detail, the locations to which the "additional guards" would be assigned.  The San Antonio District included modern-day Del Rio, Laredo and Rio grande Valley Sectors.
  • On April 30, 1924, the Action Commissioner-General sent a memo to the 11 immigration districts that were adjacent to the borders of the United States.  The memo indicated that funding was expected to be approved in the amount "...to effectively put a stop to all smuggling operations along the land boundaries..."  The memo instructed to the district heads to respond by telegram with the number of "guards or patrolmen" each district wished to receive.  They were instructed to follow the telegram with a written, more detailed response.  The memo also contains the telegram responses.
    • Interestingly, once created and until 1941, the Border Patrol had more inspectors assigned to the northern border than to the southern border.  This occurred even though the southern border had requested staffing levels three times greater than that of the northern border. some my say that a greater number of inspectors were placed on the northern border in response to the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the passage of the Volstead Act, Prohibition. Further, many sources cite that the Border Patrol was created in response to Prohibition.  However, no official Immigration Service documents have been discovered in the National Archives that support that popular claim.
    • When I was conducting research at the National Archives, I assumed that there must have been a plan in existence to implement once funding was received to create the USBP.  The memo above and the corresponding telegrams clearly demonstrate that no such plan existed a mere three weeks before funding would be received.

1925

• On May 14, 1925, the "Chief, Accounts and Personnel Division" wrote a high-level memo concerning the operating costs and strength of the Border Patrol by position.

1928

• On May 8, 1928, George Harris (1976-1941), wrote a letter concerning H.R. 11755​ which was introduced on March 5, 1928 and would have had the USBP be a separate agency under the Department of Labor. 
  • George Harris would be one of the first two Chiefs of the Border Patrol (called Supervisor, Border Patrol) in 1926 with the implementation of General Order 61​.  In 1927, he would be reassigned to other positions leaving Ruel Davenport to be the sole Chief of the Border Patrol.  In 1932, Harris would return as the Chief of the Border Patrol (called Director at that time) and be the only person to serve nonconsecutive terms in the position.

1931

• On May 14, 1931, Commissioner-General received a letter​ from the Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association.  The  letter concerned Chief of the Border Patrol Ruel Davenport's interest in having personal participate in a shooting match that occurred annual at Camp Perry in Ohio.
  • Marking the birth of the USBP National Pistol Team, the Border Patrol participated in a 1934 match at Camp Perry.  See this page for more information.
  • The letterhead of the NRA's response identifies it headquarters as the Barr Building which is located about a block away from CBP's H Street Building.

1934

• On May 10, 1934, El Paso District Director Grover Wilmoth (1884-1951) sent a memo to the Commissioner-General concerning the two Border Patrol Inspectors placing in a shooting competition. Senior Patrol Inspector George W. Parker, Jr. (1908-1984) was "declared state champion at the rifle and pistol matches held a Fort Huachuca under the auspices of the Arizona State rifle Association".  Famed Patrol Inspector Charles Askins (1907-1999) won the police pistol match and it was suspected that his perfect score may have been a new record.  In closing, Wilmoth boasted:
  • Considerable interest is being displayed by officers in this district in competitive shooting and it will be noted that we have in our ranks at least two of the foremost shots in this section - if not in the United States.

1939

• On May 8, 1939, the Buffalo District sent a memo to the Commissioner-General concerning lost badges.  
  • The memo was in response to a January 18, 1939,  Central Office issued memo mandating that all badges and cap insignia be inventoried. 

Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries​
 
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​

​2007
Dan M. Harris Jr. - ​photo
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent
Marfa Sector
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Dan M. Harris Jr. was recognized for demonstrating unusual courage during an extremely dangerous and stressful situation on May 17, 2007. Agent Harris was invited to Athens, Texas to be the guest speaker at the Henderson County Peace Officer Memorial Service. During the service, Henderson County Deputy David Harris received a call for emergency backup due to shots being fired at a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputies began receiving gunfire and tragically, two deputies were shot and killed and another deputy was wounded. Agent Harris exposed himself to extreme risk or loss of life in order to render aid to the wounded deputy. Also being a certified Emergency Medical Technician, he was able to stabilize the wound with the assistance of other deputies.

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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 - He is not recognized as officially fallen by Customs and Border Protection or the U.S. Border Patrol. He is remembered many except his own agency with his name being included on the:
  • National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial (see this link),
  • Officer Down memorial Page (see this link), and
  • Texas Peace Officer's Memorial (see this link).
    

2009
Cruz C. McGuire
Date of Birth:                January 19, 1962
Entered on Duty:          September 30, 1984
Title:                             Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:               May 21, 2009
 
Details:
Border Patrol Agent Cruz McGuire, of the Del Rio Texas Station, collapsed the morning of May 21, 2009.  Attempts by his fellow agents and medical professionals to revive him were unsuccessful. At the time of his collapse, Agent McGuire was working a trail with other agents.
 
Agent McGuire began his career in law enforcement with the Del Rio Police Department and later joined the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office. Agent McGuire graduated with the 166th Session of the Border Patrol Academy and was assigned to the Kingsville Station. Agent McGuire transferred to the Del Rio Station on April 12, 1998.