THIS WEEK IN USBP HISTORY, VOL. 132

March 10 - March 16

Welcome to this week's edition of "This Week in USBP History," covering March 10th to March 16th. In this installment, we reflect on key historical events such as the significant policy changes of 1937 and the debut of the 1959 U.S. Border Patrol TV series. We pay a special tribute to the seven agents who made the ultimate sacrifice: Miguel J. Maldonado, Anthony L. Oneto, Victor C. Ochoa, Nicholas D. Greenig, David J. Tourscher, Ramon Nevarez, Jr., and Alejandro Flores-Bañuelos. Their bravery and dedication to duty will always be remembered. We also honor the valor of four Newton-Azrak Award recipients, whose heroic actions embody the spirit and commitment of the U.S. Border Patrol. Join us in commemorating these significant moments and the courageous individuals who have shaped our history.

​Enjoy and have a great week!

​Cliff
P.S. - 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 send them to [email protected]). As always, make sure to explore all of the hyperlinks to the documents and pages. Finally, please forward this blog to whomever you think may enjoy it.

---

THIS WEEK'S USBP ANNIVERSARIES AND MILESTONES

March 10

• With "...the issuance of Border Patrol Circular No. 8, issued by Deputy Commissioner Irving F. Wixon (1884-1962) on March 10, 1937, all Senior Patrol Inspectors and Patrol Inspectors were designated as Immigration Inspectors."
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco
• On March 10, 1959, “The U.S. Border Patrol television series, starring Richard Webb as Deputy Chief Don Jagger, begins to air. Thirty-nine episodes would be broadcast, with stories based on actual U.S. Border Patrol events and cases. The popular series later went into syndication, and its sponsor, Amoco, produced Border Patrol Junior Patrol Inspector badges and cap guns, which became popular collector's items.”
  • From - HONOR FIRST - United States Border Patrol Centennial Timeline 1924-2024 by Joseph Banco
• On March 10, 1995, the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, Committee on the Judiciary, held a hearing on border security and more specifically, to address Operation Blockade/Operation Hold the Line in El Paso Sector and Operation Gatekeeper in California. Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) was the chairman and in his opening remarks, he took the opportunity to acknowledge Chief Reyes and how his vision changed the border enforcement strategy of the INS and drove the drafting of the National Border Patrol Strategy.​
  • From - HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume Three 1975-1999​ by Joseph Banco
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Miguel J. Maldonado
    Date of Birth:                    September 29, 1952
    Entered on Duty:               May 12, 1980
    Title:                                  Senior Patrol Agent
    End of Watch:                   March 10, 1997
     
    Details:
    At approximately 11:24 a.m., Senior Patrol Agent Miguel Maldonado of the Port Isabel Station was performing sensor response patrol duties alone in a Service vehicle, traveling on Alton Gloor Road in Brownsville, Texas. An eyewitness stated that Agent Maldonado’s vehicle turned left across the centerline of the road, sliding across the roadway and into the ditch adjacent to the road. It then struck an earthen berm with its passenger side tires and rolled over one complete turn, landing on its wheels. At the time of the accident, Agent Maldonado was driving in an emergency response mode with his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren activated.
     
    Supervisory Patrol Agent Herbert J. Monette of the Brownsville Station was notified of the accident and arrived at the scene soon afterward as EMS personnel were trying to save Agent Maldonado. They then decided to transport Agent Maldonado to Brownsville Medical Center, where emergency room personnel also tried to save him. But about 12:15 p.m., Agent Monette was informed that Agent Maldonado had died from wounds sustained in the accident. The likely cause of the accident was the wet condition of the roadway.
     
    Agent Maldonado began his Border Patrol career with the Laredo Sector. He was reassigned in August 1988 as Senior Border Patrol Agent at the Port Isabel Station under the McAllen Sector, the position he held at the time of his death.
    
    ​Gravesite
• With the success of Operation Rio Grande in the Brownsville area, INS Commissioner Meissner had a press conference on March 10, 1998, with Senator Kay Baily Hutchison (R-TX) in Washington, DC to announce the continuation of the initiative, expansion into McAllen and Laredo, as well as additional manpower,​
  • From - HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume Three 1975-1999​ by Joseph Banco

 
March 11

• On March 11, 1925, the Detroit District Director wrote a memo requesting that Border Patrol Inspectors be “designated special agents of the Prohibition Department”.  Interesting in this memo:
  • Three “Patrol Inspectors in Charge” are mentioned.  That title would be changed to “Chief Patrol Inspector” with the implementation of General Order 61 in 1926.
    • Walter R. Brooks (1880-1954)
    • Ruel E. Davenport (1878-1961)
    • George T. Montague - I could not locate the gravesite of George T. Montague.  However, I did find newspaper articles that showed he was transferred to Baltimore as an Immigrant Inspector in 1927.  He resigned from the Immigration Service approximately two months after that transfer.  In 1929, he was detained and subsequently release for suspicion of bootlegging while he was assigned to Detroit.  Although, I could locate other people with the same name, I could not confirm any of them were this George T. Montague.
  • Also with the implementation of General Order 61, Ruel Davenport, would become one of the first two Chiefs of the Border Patrol.
  • On March 29, 1926, about a year after this memo, General Order 63 would be implemented giving Border Patrol Inspectors and Immigrant Inspectors clear authority to enforce laws other than immigration laws.
• On March 11, 1929, while investigating suspicious activity on Cordova Island, August Steinburn (1893-1952) and Francis Albert Scott (1903-1979) were ambushed and fired upon by Mexican rebel arms and ammunition smugglers protecting a load of ammunition they were crossing into Mexico.329 Even though wounded, Steinburn and Scott returned fire and were able to seek cover until reinforcements could arrive. Both Patrol Inspectors were hospitalized and made full recoveries from their wounds.
  • From - HONOR FIRST:  The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume I by Joseph Banco
• On March 11, 1931, a letter requesting information about wearing military and state decorations was written.  This letter is the earliest document concerning the wearing of awards of which I am aware.  However, there are photos of early Border Patrol Inspectors wearing awards as is in this photo (white shirts were first authorized under the jacket in 1928 as per the amendments to General Order 42).
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Anthony L. Oneto
    Date of Birth:                       December 29, 1916
    Entered on Duty:                  October 24, 1940
    Title:                                     Patrol Inspector
    End of Watch:                      March 11, 1947
    
    Details:
    On March 11, 1947, while conducting routine traffic checks near Indio, California, Patrol Inspectors Anthony L. Oneto and John L. Fouquette arrested Carlos Ochoa Romero in the act of hauling four smuggled aliens. The aliens were placed in the back seat of the government car and Ochoa was instructed to drive his car to the Border Patrol Office. After a short time, Ochoa stopped his car, which was being followed by the government car, walked back, said something about his car stalling, pulled a.32 caliber pistol from his pocket, and began firing at the officers. Inspector Oneto was struck four times in the head and died instantly. Patrol Inspector Fouquette was wounded but returned the fire, wounding Ochoa, who escaped in the darkness. In spite of this activity, Inspector Fouquette was able to retain custody of the smuggled aliens until help arrived.
    
    Gravesite
• Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary
  • Adam R. Ruiz
    Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
    Rio Grande Valley Sector
    Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Adam R. Ruiz was recognized for demonstrating unusual courage during an extremely dangerous and stressful situation. On March 11, 2008, while performing his assigned duties on U.S. Highway 281 near San Manuel, Texas, Agent Ruiz encountered a vehicle traveling northbound he suspected of being involved in human trafficking. After initiating a vehicle stop, he observed the vehicle pull over on the shoulder and into the grass off the highway. The driver absconded and the vehicle continued to travel forward and back onto the highway.
     
    While taking immediate action to prevent the vehicle from rolling into the oncoming traffic, Agent Ruiz discovered the brakes were not functioning and maneuvered the vehicle off the northbound lanes, avoiding a major collision with other traffic including a semi-tractor trailer. After finally bringing the vehicle to a stop, he discovered that there were 10 undocumented aliens in the vehicle. With the assistance of Rio Grande Valley CBP air assets, the driver was located.
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Victor C. Ochoa
    Date of Birth:                    March 16, 1947
    Entered on Duty:               June 17, 1978
    Title:                                  Border Patrol Agent
    End of Watch:                   March 11, 1983
     
    Details:
    On March 11, 1983, Victor E. Ochoa, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent stationed in the Tucson Sector, Casa Grande Station, was involved in a fatal traffic accident when the van in which he was transporting prisoners collided with a dump truck at the intersection of Ralston and Papago Roads about 22 miles southwest of Maricopa in Pinal County. The accident occurred at approximately 10:45 a.m. He was transported by helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where he died of multiple head injuries sustained in the accident.
    
    ​Gravesite

 
March 12

• Today marks a quiet day in USBP history. Check back tomorrow for more fascinating insights!

 
March 13

• On March 13, 1931, George Harris (1876-1941), wrote a memo to the Commissioner-General requesting fabric that was used for rank and time-in-service insignia.  This short memo is full of interesting items:
  • Harris held the title of “Director,” which was synonymous with “Chief of the Border Patrol” from 1932-1933. This would mark the second time that Harris was the “Chief of the Border Patrol”.  He is the only person to have been Chief in non-consecutive terms. See the USBP History page, “What were the two Border Districts?” for more information.
  • The insignia are described in General Order 179, the USBP’s second uniform policy.  The silver fabric was for Border Patrol Inspectors and Senior Patrol Inspectors.  The gold fabric was for Chief Patrol Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents.  The stars and 1/4” width fabric were used for time-in-service insignia and the 3/8” width fabric was used for the rank insignia for Senior Patrol Inspectors, Chief Patrol Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents.  See this page for more information on the USBP’s early rank and time-in-service insignia.

 
March 14

• On March 14, 1925, The District Director of the Jacksonville district forwarded a uniform related request to the Commissioner-General from the Patrol Inspector in Charge of the Jacksonville Sub-district. Several things of interest are present in the memo:
  • This document (page 2) conclusively demonstrates that Border Patrol employees were assigned to Florida as early as 1924, starting with three sub-districts (later called sectors in the 1940s): Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami.
  • This memo was written a mere 3 months after the implementation of the USBP’s first uniform policy, General Order 42.
  • It includes the coolest name of any Border Patrol Inspector or Agent, ever!  Jesse M. Sixkiller (1899-1959)!
• On January 18, 1939, the Central Office (HQ for you newbies) issued a memo to the field to inventory all badges and cap insignia for all positions. All of the field responses have been collected from the National Archive giving the most complete list of badges and cap insignia available for that time.  The Spokane District sent their response on March 14, 1939.
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Nicholas D. Greenig
    Date of Birth:                     February 20, 1978
    Entered on Duty:                December 1, 2002
    Title:                                   Border Patrol Agent
    End of Watch:                    March 14, 2006
     
    Details:
    On March 14, 2006, Agent Nicholas Greenig was killed in a vehicle accident on the Tohono O'odham Nation in Pima County, Arizona, when the department vehicle he was riding in struck a bull walking across the highway. He and his partner were working a plainclothes detail when the accident occurred at approximately 8:00 pm.
     
    Agent Greenig had served with the Border Patrol for three years and was assigned to Ajo Station in Tucson Sector. He was raised in Laurel, Montana, where he attended public schools before he transferred to a private high school in Billings. He graduated with honors from Utah Valley State College in Provo and joined the Border Patrol in 2002. Agent Greenig was a graduate of the 535th session of the Border Patrol Academy. He was a senior patrol agent and a member of a special unit that targeted violent criminal organizations, which smuggled people and drugs.
    
    ​Gravesite

 
March 15

• On March 15, 1918, and unknown person wrote a response to the status of the southern border presented by future Chief and Father of the Border Patrol Frank Berkshire (1870-1934) a month earlier.  These two documents represent some of the earliest that would contribute to Berkshire's proposals for creating the U.S. Border Patrol.  Visit this page if you haven’t already - The Father of the Border Patrol.
• Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary
  • Alan W. Marshall
    Border Patrol Agent
    Buffalo Sector
    During the evening shift on March 15, 1992, Border Patrol Agent Alan W. Marshall made a winter water rescue of an alien he was pursuing, who broke through an ice-covered pond.  In trying to reach the man, Agent Marshall was plunged into the same water as the ice gave way beneath him.  Agent Marshall’s strength, endurance, and bravery saved not only himself, but also the alien twice that night.  After having to physically lift the man from the water, Agent Marshall had to force the man to stay on his feet and walk to reach shelter in 17-degree weather.
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Ramon Nevarez, Jr.
    Date of Birth:                     March 27, 1983
    Entered on Duty:                August 15, 2005
    Title:                                   Border Patrol Agent
    End of Watch:                    March 15, 2007
     
    Details:
    On March 15, 2007, Agents Ramon Nevarez and David Tourscher were involved in a single vehicle accident on NM Highway 338 near Cotton City, New Mexico.  At approximately 9:00 p.m., Agent Nevarez succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
     
    Agent Tourscher was flown to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, where he died. Agent Nevarez had served with the Border Patrol for two years.
    
    Burial Details Unknown
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • Alejandro Flores-Bañuelos
    Date of Birth:                       November 4, 1985                              
    Entered on Duty:                  March 5, 2009
    Title:                                     Border Patrol Agent 
    End of Watch:                      March 15, 2021
     
    Details: 
    Border Patrol Agent Alejandro Flores-Bañuelos was struck by a vehicle and killed on March 15, 2021.  Agent Flores-Bañuelos had responded to reports of a crash on state Route 86, a four-lane divided highway north of Marina, California.  The traffic accident occurred during a dust storm that caused low visibility in the area.   Flores-Bañuelos was the first to arrive on the scene and began assisting a 75-year-old woman whose vehicle had become disabled in the roadway.  A second northbound vehicle struck Agent Flores-Bañuelos who was transported to Pioneers Memorial Hospital and later succumbed to his injuries.
     
    BPA Flores-Bañuelos started his CBP career on March 5, 2009 and spent his entire Border Patrol career at the Indio, California Border Patrol Station in the El Centro Sector.  Prior to joining the Border Patrol, Agent Flores-Bañuelos honorably served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps.  He was born and raised in Richgrove, California and graduated from McFarland High School in McFarland, California.  He is survived by his wife, his three children and his mother.
     
    Gravesite

 
March 16

• On March 16, 1934, the Chief Patrol Inspector of the El Paso Sub-district, Herbert Horsley (1878-1962)  recommended the adoption on a rough duty uniform to his boss, El Paso District Director Grover Wilmoth (1884-1951).  To my knowledge, this is the earliest document addressing the concept of a rough duty uniform.
• Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary
  • Christopher M. Jacobs
    Detention Enforcement Officer
    Buffalo, New York
    On March 16, 1992, Detention Enforcement Officer Christopher M. Jacobs saved a passenger from a burning vehicle.  He and another officer were escorting a detained alien on the New York State Thruway.  They were at a tollbooth when a vehicle traveling at a high speed plowed into the rear of another vehicle in the booth adjacent to the D & D vehicle.  There was an instantaneous explosion that pushed the vehicle forward about 200 feet, engulfing the car into a fireball.  Officer Jacobs exited his vehicle, obtained a fire extinguisher, and ran to the vehicle.  The driver was able to exit on his own but the passenger was semi-conscious and unable to get out.  Officer Jacobs entered through the driver’s door, ignoring the real danger for himself, and got the passenger out.  He administered first aid until the ambulance arrived.
• Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary
  • Richard L. Ashlaw
    Patrol Agent In Charge
    Swanton Sector
    For his heroic actions and unselfish disregard of his own personal safety to come to the rescue of James Baker, who otherwise had no chance of surviving the New Albion Hotel fire March 16, 1998.  Patrol Agent in Charge Ashlaw’s actions certainly went above and beyond the responsibilities and duties of a Border Patrol Agent.
• Line of Duty Death anniversary
  • David J. Tourscher
    Date of Birth:                      November 22, 1982
    Entered on Duty:                 June 26, 2006
    Title:                                    Border Patrol Agent (trainee)
    End of Watch:                     March 16, 2007
     
    Details:
    On March 15, 2007, Agents David Tourscher and Ramon Nevarez were involved in a single vehicle accident on NM Highway 338 near Cotton City, New Mexico.
     
    Agent Nevarez succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Agent Tourscher was flown to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, where he died early the following morning.  Agent Tourscher had served with the Border Patrol for nine months.
    
    Burial Details Unknown