October 13 - October 19Welcome to another This Week in USBP History! This week’s blog takes us through leadership transitions, legal milestones, and heroic acts that have shaped the U.S. Border Patrol. On October 13, 1943, acting Chief John Nelson took temporary leadership as the Border Patrol faced high turnover during World War II. Meanwhile, the Nationality Act of 1940, passed on October 14, unified U.S. laws on citizenship and nationality, impacting Border Patrol operations throughout and after the war. We honor the sacrifices of Patrol Inspector John A. Rector, who tragically lost his life on October 16, 1956, after a fellow officer, Bill Jordan, accidentally discharged a loaded .357 Magnum, fatally striking Rector through a partition wall. We also remember Senior Patrol Inspector Elgar B. Holliday, who succumbed to a heart attack on October 18, 1967, after days of overexertion during Hurricane Beulah relief efforts, and Pilot Weldon Smith, who tragically died in a plane crash on October 19, 1979, while assisting agents on the ground. This week, we also recognize Border Patrol Agent Myron B. Merchant, who was wounded during a shootout on October 14, 1979, while apprehending two dangerous fugitives. Additionally, we reflect on the bravery of Border Patrol Agents Juan Cruz Jr. and Marcus K. Johnson, who risked their lives on October 19, 2015, to rescue a drowning individual despite dangerous conditions. Explore this week’s blog to learn more about these stories and the legacy of service and sacrifice that continues to define the U.S. Border Patrol. 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 MILESTONESOctober 13
On October 13, 1943, acting Chief of the Border Patrol John Nelson (1906-1979) wrote Willard Kelly (1903-1969), the previous Chief of the Border Patrol a memo explaining the reasons that 143 of 253 Border Patrol Inspectors had left employment (18 were terminated and 125 resigned). Very interesting about this memo is that it clearly shows that Willard Kelly had promoted above Chief of the Border Patrol and that John Nelson (who had been the Director of the Border Patrol Academy) had been temporarily promoted to Chief of the Border Patrol which would later become a permanent promotion.
October 14 On October 14, 1940, Congress passed the Nationality Act of 1940, which for the first time unified and codified U.S. laws relating to naturalization, citizenship, and nationality. The Nationality Act of 1940 clarified “eligibility for citizenship through birth or naturalization,” including residency requirements, actions which would bar immigrants from naturalization, and conditions for loss of nationality. These two laws would play an important part in the actions of the U.S. Border Patrol in apprehending and detaining those identified as subversive and enemy aliens during and after World War II.
Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary Myron B. Merchant - award memo, news article Border Patrol Agent Swanton, Vermont On October 14, 1979 at approximately 10:30 p.m. a call was received by Border Patrol Agents at Rouses Point, New York that two men were walking in a sparsely populated rural area south on Cannon Corners Road near Mooers Forks, New York. Border Patrol Agent (BPA) Myron Merchant and another agent responded to the call. BPA Merchant took a surveillance position at the intersection of Cannon Corners Road and Route 11. Soon afterwards, BPA Merchant saw two men walking a short distance from his location. Suddenly the men ran into the woods. BPA Merchant notified the other agent by radio of the circumstances and followed the suspects into the woods. About fifty feet from the road BPA Merchant came under close range gunfire. One shot struck him in the upper abdomen, knocking him to the ground. One of the assailants walked toward him and raised his weapon in an apparent attempt to kill him. BPA Merchant instinctively rolled on the ground as the assailant fired narrowly missing him. BPA Merchant drew his weapon and returned the gunfire, killing the assailant. While seriously wounded, BPA Merchant marked the position of the dead man with his flashlight and then crawled on his back to the road where he was met by the agent he had earlier radioed. During the gunfire the second man fled. He was captured later at a New York State Police roadblock in Mooers, New York. BPA Merchant’s ability and presence of mind to be able to give a description of the second man greatly contributed to his capture. The two men were later identified as two escapees who had been charged with murdering a Montreal, Quebec police officer and seriously wounding two other officers of that city. BPA Merchant’s actions that evening reflect his great personal courage and presence of mind during an emergency life and death situation. October 15
October 16 This PDF contains two memos and a sworn statement detailing a brief exchange of gunfire that occurred on October 16, 1930, between Border Patrol Inspectors and alcohol smugglers in El Paso, TX.
Line of Duty Death anniversary John A. Rector Date of Birth: August 23, 1898 Entered on Duty: March 13, 1928 Title: Patrol Inspector End of Watch: October 16, 1956 Details: At approximately 11:30 a.m., October 16, 1956, Patrol Inspector John A. Rector was accidently shot by the firing of a .357 Magnum revolver by fellow officer, Bill Jordan. The mishap occurred at the Chula Vista Sector Headquarters as two officers were discussing various guns and their limitations and advantages. During the course of the conversation, the .357 Magnum was unloaded, examined, then reloaded, and placed in a desk drawer. The two officers then examined a .22 revolver and soon the discussion returned to the .357 Magnum. At this point, Patrol Inspector Jordan reached into the desk drawer, picked up the pistol, and without realizing that it had been reloaded, pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through a partition wall into Patrol Inspector Rector's office where it struck him in the left jaw and ranged up through his head. Upon arrival of an ambulance and a doctor, Patrol Inspector Rector was removed to the Paradise Valley Hospital in National City. Two neurosurgeons from San Diego were called; however, nothing could be done for Inspector Rector. He died at approximately 2:00 p.m. the same day. Gravesite October 17 On October 17, 1929, the Commissioner-General responded to the Commissioner of Immigration for the Montreal District's request to appoint 4 Senior Patrol Inspectors to act as assistants to their respective sub-district Chief Patrol Inspectors.
On October 17, 1941, Willard Kelly (1903-1969), the 4th Chief of the Border Patrol, wrote a memo to the DOJ concerning (Immigration) Guard badges. This memo highlights a few things:
October 18 This October 18, 1930 report details an alcohol seizure in which the Marfa Sub-district Border Patrol Inspectors and local Customs Border Patrol Inspectors combined forces to catch over 400 gallons of alcohol. This October 18, 1940 collection of costs to build Border Patrol facilities is signed by "H.J. Walls, Assistant Supervisor of Border Patrol". This is the earliest known evidence of the position that would evolve to become "Deputy Chief of the Border Patrol". Line of Duty Death anniversary Elgar B. Holliday Date of Birth: October 6, 1911 Entered on Duty: June 19, 1944 Title: Senior Patrol Inspector End of Watch: October 18, 1967 Details: In September 1967, Hurricane Beulah struck the lower Rio Grande Valley and adjacent areas causing extensive wind and flood damage. During the emergency, Patrol Inspectors rendered assistance in the protection of life and property, performing exhaustive and arduous tasks and working long periods of time without rest or relief. Senior Patrol Inspector Elgar B. Holliday was engaged in continuous emergency work assignments for three days. During the third day, September 24, 1967, he was stricken, suffering from extreme shortness of breath and pains in the chest. Showing signs of complete exhaustion, he was taken to a doctor, who gave him an injection and diagnosed the difficulty as heart failure due to over-exertion. Mr. Holliday was subsequently placed in the St. Joseph's Hospital, Houston, Texas, where he died on October 18, 1967. Gravesite
October 19 On October 19, 1927, two separate shootings occurred in the El Paso Sub-district. This document contains the reports of both shootings.
The Patrol Inspectors assigned to McAllen Sector were responsible for providing assistance to the Texas Department of Public Safety in protecting President Dwight Eisenhower and Mexican President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines during the dedication ceremony for the Falcón Dam on October 19, 1953. Patrol Inspectors also helped secure the motorcade route from Harlingen Air Force Base, where President Eisenhower’s plane, the Columbine (first to be designated as and use the call sign Air Force One) landed, to Zapata, Texas, and the Falcón Dam.
Line of Duty Death anniversary Weldon Smith Date of Birth: July 18, 1939 Entered on Duty: November 2, 1970 Title: Aircraft Pilot End of Watch: October 19, 1979 Details: During the afternoon of October 19, 1979, Pilot Weldon Smith had been working with ground agents Roxy D. Kieffe and Frank Ureta, Jr., of Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station. They were trailing aliens on the Gallagor Ranch, about 10 miles north of Guerra, Jim Hogg County, Texas. Pilot Smith returned to McAllen to refuel. As he was returning to the location of the aliens, he passed about 100 feet over Kieffe, relocated the trail, and started relaying the location to Kieffe. He said, "I found the tr-" and quit transmitting in mid-sentence. Officer Kieffe did not see the crash, but saw the smoke and ran toward it. The plane was completely engulfed in flames, destroyed by the impact and fire. Pilot Smith died on initial impact. A Justice of the Peace from Hebbronville, Texas, held an inquest upon arrival at the scene of the accident and pronounced Pilot Smith dead. Subsequent investigation determined that the aircraft had stalled and the pilot was unable to recover from the stall. Gravesite Border Patrol Academy Class 294, beginning on October 19, 1995, would be issued the Beretta Model 96D, a full sized .40 caliber semi- automatic double action-only pistol.
Newton-Azrak Award action anniversary Juan Cruz Jr. - photo Border Patrol Agent Weslaco, Texas Marcus K. Johnson - photo Border Patrol Agent Weslaco, Texas The incident occurred on October 19, 2015, at approximately 2:00 a.m. Border Patrol Agents Juan Cruz, Jr. and Marcus K. Johnson responded to a call for assistance by agents working border enforcement duties near the Hidalgo, Texas, Settling Basin. A subject had jumped into the water basin and was struggling to stay afloat. The potential victim was frantically screaming for help and periodically dipping below the surface of the water. The agents quickly improvised a safety line from tow straps and courageously entered the dark, cold water in an attempt to rescue the subject. Unfortunately, the improvised safety line was not long enough to reach the subject and the dangerous conditions forced the agents to return to land. Cruz swam out for a second time in an attempt to throw the subject a floatation device, but that attempt also failed due to the subject’s panicked state of mind. Upon the arrival of the City of Hidalgo’s Fire Department, the agents were informed that the fire department would not attempt a rescue due to policy constraints dealing with the dangers involved in a night time water rescue. Both Cruz and Johnson ignored the injuries they had suffered to their bare feet on their previous rescue attempts and for a third time volunteered to try to rescue the subject. They borrowed life vests from the fire department and re-entered the dangerous water. On the third attempt, the agents managed to reach the subject and provide him with a life vest and were able to successfully extract him from the water without further incident. The subject was examined by emergency medical technicians at the scene and found to be in good health and not in need of further medical attention. Both Cruz and Johnson were treated for their injuries at a local hospital and released the same night.
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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
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