This Week in USBP History, Vol. 85

April 16 - April 22

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Intro

Good morning,

Welcome to another This Week in USBP History! ​

The structure of the U.S. Border Patrol's (USBP) rank insignia might be mind-boggling as can be seen on the USBP's Wikipedia page, but have you ever wondered about its origin and evolution? As I was gathering my research to present in this blog, I realized I had already delved into this topic in "This Week in USBP History. Vol. 59" back in October 2022. I encourage you to read that blog post to learn how the Patrol's rank insignia has evolved through the decades.

Interestingly, the modern rank insignia of the Border Patrol isn't based on a position's pay grade, which typically reflects the scope and complexity of a role. Instead, it is title-centric and closely tied to the perceived prestige of a position. For instance, a GS-13 supervising fewer than 10 people wears the same insignia as a GS-15 responsible for over 600 people. Similarly, a GS-15 Chief Patrol Agent of the Ramey Sector, with fewer than 100 employees, wears a two-star insignia, while some Senior Executive Service (SES) Deputy Chief Patrol Agents and SES HQ Deputy Directorate Chiefs wear a one-star insignia.

This prestige-based system arguably diminishes the recognition that the military-style rank insignia aimed to provide for supervisory and staff Border Patrol agents, as stated in 1980 memo that implemented military style rank insignia in the Patrol. In contrast, the Office of Field Operations (OFO) has a more logical rank insignia system based primarily on pay grade. For example, an OFO employee with silver eagles is a GS-14, while one with a silver star is a GS-15. Those wearing two or more silver stars are members of the Senior Executive Service. You can find more information about OFO's rank insignia in the final two pages of this document.  I have created a table based off the document below.

CBP Office of Field Operations Rank Insignia

Our journey through the USBP's history starts in 1918, with the Commissioner-General and Frank Berkshire discussing the creation of the Border Patrol. Pith helmets were authorized for wear in 1930, and legislative action was introduced to build a new USBP Academy in 1956. The title of "Border Patrol Inspector" was changed to "Border Patrol Agent" in 1970, and much more!

We celebrate eleven Newton-Azrak Award recipients on the anniversaries of their actions.

​We remember six of our fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths.

Enjoy and 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 send them to cliff@honorfirst.com).
• 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.

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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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Throwback Photo of the Week

A new section that I hope you'll enjoy!

Late 1930s at Camp Chigas: A snapshot of historical uniforms, featuring Pershing hats, shoulder ornaments, collar discs, and a rare Senior Patrol Inspector insignia. Courtesy of the Border Patrol Museum.

This fascinating photograph from the late 1930s, compliments of the Border Patrol Museum, was taken in front of the famous Camp Chigas. It is noteworthy for a few reasons. Firstly, it showcases the different uniforms approved at that time. All the inspectors are wearing Pershing hats, which were phased out in the early 1940s. Every inspector, regardless of their rank, donned shoulder ornaments and collar discs. There are no puttees (leather wraps for the lower legs) visible, suggesting the photo was taken after 1936. Interestingly, only one person is seen wearing a rank insignia. The individual fourth from the left has loops on their sleeve, the insignia of a Senior Patrol Inspector.

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DOCUMENTS AND EVENTS

1918

• On April 18, 1918, the Commissioner-General wrote a response to future Chief and Father of the Border Patrol Frank Berkshire (1870-1934).  The Commissioner-General's response referenced a suggestion that Berkshire had made to establish a "border patrol".  The Commissioner-General stated that high level discussions identified that such a force could be created as a new branch of the military or as part of the Immigration Service.

1930

• On April 19, 1930, the Tenth Supplement to and Amendment of General Order 42 authorized the wearing of "A cork or pith helmet (forestry green)" in the southern border districts when "...when weather conditions render it suitable in the discretion of the district officer in charge."
  • ​A 1951 memo describes Patrol Inspectors' attitude concerning the hat, “…A certain segment of the public was prone to jest at them and their “lion-tamer” hats”.

1956

• On April 18, 1956, Senate Bill S. 3656 was introduced, "To provide for the acquisition of sites and the construction of buildings for a training school and for sector headquarters for the immigration border patrol, and for other purposes."

1970

• On April 20, 1970, Chief of the Border Patrol Donald R. Coppock (1910-2011) wrote a memo related to the change in title from Border Patrol Inspectors to Border Patrol Agents that occurred that year. Both titles are used in the memo.
  • It should be noted that Coppock's title in the memo is Deputy Associate Commissioner, Domestic Control.  In that position, he was compensated at the GS-17 level (before the Senior Executive Service was created).  He was promoted from the GS-16, Assistant Commissioner, Enforcement to that position on August 25, 1968.  Absent other evidence, both positions are considered to be Chief of the Border Patrol.
  • Donald R. Coppock is the longest serving Chief of the Border Patrol, holding the position 1960-1973.

1977

• On April 19, 1977, the inaugural Border Patrol Academy Class at FLETC Glynco would be Session 114, graduating 30 Border Patrol Trainees on August 10, 1977.
  • From - HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume Three 1975-1999​ by Joseph Banco 

1987

• Reimplementation of the U.S. Border Patrol Canine Program - On April 18, 1987, Canine Rocky and Handler Kent Banks and Canine Barco with Handler Thomas Slowinski entered on duty at the McAllen Sector. At the same time Canine Duko with Handler Randy Salazar and Canine Benno with Handler Roberto Cantu entered on duty in Laredo Sector.​
  • From - HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol - Volume Three 1975-1999​ by Joseph Banco 
  • Thomas Slowinski is a 1989 Newton-Azrak Award recipients.

2000

• On April 22, 2000, the Immigration and Naturalization Service carried out Operation Reunion, an enforcement action by the INS/Border Patrol designed to securely retrieve Elian Gonzalez and reunify him with his father.

2020

• On April 18, 2020, Chief Rodney Scott signed a memo (that I authored), concerning devices authorized for wear on the Border Patrol uniform.  The memo created two classes of devices: Qualification Devices and Specialty Devices.  See  the USBP Authorized Devices page for more information.  This memo was incorporated into the Patrol's most recent uniform policy which came into effect in 2021.

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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

The USBP Newton-Azrak Award Scroll

2000

Walter M. Davenport
Senior Patrol Agent 
Border Patrol Tactical Unit 
James D. Goldman ​ - Award Statuette
Assistant District Director of Investigations
Miami District Office
Jonathan P. Miller
Senior Patrol Agent
Border Patrol Tactical Unit 
Ruben Miranda
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent 
Border Patrol Tactical Unit 
Charles L. Sachs
Senior Patrol Agent
Border Patrol Tactical Unit
Mickey A. Valdez
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
Border Patrol Tactical Unit
Casey S. Wilson
Immigration Agent (Enforcement) 
Miami, Florida
James L. Wolynetz Jr.          
Immigration Agent (Enforcement) 
Miami, Florida
Betty A. Mills
Special Agent
Miami, Florida
Steven J. Pastor
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
Border Patrol Tactical Unit
Charles C. Whitmire
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
Border Patrol Tactical Unit
Eleven Immigration and Naturalization Service employees were recognized for their involvement in Operation Reunion, the enforcement response that INS/Border Patrol conducted to safely recover Elian Gonzalez and reunite him with his father conducted on April 22, 2000.

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U.S. BORDER PATROL FALLEN 
Anniversaries

U.S. Border Patrol Badge with a Mourning Band

As of March 6, 2023 the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 154* fallen.
Titles

• 3 Mounted Watchmen fell before 1924 and are carried as Border Patrol fallen
• 49 Border Patrol Inspectors fell between 1924 and 1970
• 101 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.
 
I will note that Border Patrol Agent John Charles Gigax is not recognized as officially fallen by Customs and Border Protection or the U.S. Border Patrol. The Border Patrol Foundation and the Border Patrol Museum also fail to recognize him. He is remembered by all except organizations containing "Border Patrol" in their title. He is remembered by 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).

 
The U.S. Border Patrol, the Border Patrol Foundation, and the Border Patrol Museum should fix their oversight. 
 
HonorFirst.com remembers and lists Agent Gigax among the fallen.

Agent Gigax is buried in Florida's 5th Congressional District.  I contacted Congressman John Rutherford for assistance in this case.  Please contact the Congressman Rutherford if you would like to help.

Fallen Border Patrol Agent John Charles Gigax's tombstone. Fallen Border Patrol Agent Jason C. Panides' tombstone is in the background.

1919

Clarence M. Childress
Date of Birth:                     January 21, 1877
Entered on Duty:               February 16, 1918
Title:                                    Mounted Watchman
End of Watch:                    April 16, 1919

Details:
At 3:00 a.m. on April 13, 1919, Mounted Watchman Clarence M. Childress and his partner, Mounted Watchman Leroy D. Straw, were on duty near Monument 9, known as “The Island,” near El Paso, Texas. The officers observed a man come near the line on the Mexican side. A few seconds later, three men ran from the United States side into Mexico and joined the man waiting there. The group then moved several hundred feet into Mexico. A few minutes later, seven men came to the line, which at that point was marked by a barbed wire fence. Two of the seven men held it down with their feet while the other five crossed to the American side with sacks on their backs. The officers made a challenging run at the smugglers and the two who had remained on the line immediately opened fire while the other five dropped the sacks they were carrying and ran toward Mexico. The officers returned fire and all seven of the smugglers ran further into Mexico, disappearing over the mesa. While the officers were pursuing the smugglers, Childress said, “I am hit and going to telephone.” Officer Straw proceeded to the point where the smugglers had abandoned their contraband where he remained, expecting Childress to return.
 
When Childress failed to return, Mounted Watchman Straw became concerned and proceeded to a house where a telephone was available. There he learned that Childress had been seriously wounded and was being cared for pending the arrival of an ambulance. An emergency operation was performed, but he failed to recover. Death occurred at 9:10 a.m. on the morning of April 16, 1919.

Survivor benefits - As per this document, his wife received $60.50 per month for her and their two children. Then $38.50 per month for her only.
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​Gravesite


1927

Thad  Pippin
Date of Birth:                       October 16, 1889
Entered on Duty:                  May 17, 1926
Title:                                       Patrol Inspector
End of Watch:                       April 21, 1927

Details:
Patrol Inspector Thad Pippin, El Paso, Texas, met his death in the mountains near Pelea, New Mexico, on the night of April 21, 1927, during the course of a gunfight in which he and a brother officer were engaged with smugglers.  Patrol Inspector Crossett, who was with him, was wounded four times. 

​On information that contraband was being smuggled into the United States, a number of Patrol Inspectors, including Inspector Pippin, went to Pelea, New Mexico. Just before dark, they discovered a pack train approaching along a trail at some distance.  The officers divided into two teams and guarded their respective trails until after dark, when they heard rapid shooting.  Officers arrived and found Officer Crossett shot four times and in urgent need of medical attention.  Officer Pippin was located and had fallen down an embankment after having been shot and killed. Nineteen gallons of liquor and two burros were seized at the time but none of the smuggling party was apprehended.

Gravesite


1960

Archie L. Jennings
Date of Birth:                     May 6, 1923
Entered on Duty:               October 15, 1956
​Title:                                    Patrol Inspector
 End of Watch:                   April 16, 1960
 
Details:
On April 16, 1960, Patrol Inspectors Robert M. Chaldu, Archie L. Jennings, and Gordon G. Hanks were assigned to duty from midnight to 8:00 a.m. at a traffic checkpoint known as San Mateo Flats, on Highway 101, about 18 miles north of Oceanside, California. The operation was concerned primarily with locating deportable aliens and alien smugglers who were enroute from the border to interior destinations. All vehicular traffic was stopped and inspected with a view to determining the citizenship status of the occupants.
 
At about 6:40 a.m., an automobile went through the checkpoint without slowing down, whereupon Inspector Chaldu pursued the car in a patrol vehicle. At that time, Inspector Jennings was manning the traffic check at the stop sign where vehicles are halted. A car driven by Mr. Francis J. Defazio approached the stop sign, and his car was struck from behind by a speeding automobile operated by Mr. Gabriel Montoya. On impact, Mr. Defazio's car went out of control and struck Inspector Jennings, knocking him 50 feet away.
 
Inspector Jennings was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The cause of death was listed as basilar fractures of the skull. In addition, he suffered numerous contusions, fractures and lacerations.

​Gravesite


1978

Jose P. Gamez, Jr.
Date of Birth:                     January 3, 1947
Entered on Duty:               October 4, 1976
Title:                                    Patrol Agent
End of Watch:                    April 21, 1978
 
Details:
Patrol Agent Jose P. Gamez, Jr. was working 4:00 p.m. to 12 midnight in the area of an isolated check gate on the Maverick County Irrigation Canal in the Quemado Valley, 25 miles north of Eagle Pass, Texas.
 
Patrol Agent Frank J. Lugo, with whom Gamez was working, reported him missing late on April 21, 1978. According to Agent Lugo, he had become separated from Gamez while they were attempting to apprehend four or five undocumented aliens.
 
Agent Gamez's body was recovered from the canal the next morning and it was presumed he had fallen into the canal and drowned. A few days later, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's report revealed Agent Gamez had been choked, probably with a board, and dragged to the canal by an unknown assailant or assailants. He was dead when he was thrown into the water.

​Gravesite


1995

Joe R. White
Date of Birth:                   November 19, 1954
Entered on Duty:             July 5, 1988
Title:                                  Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:                 April 18, 1995
    
Details:
On April 18, 1995, Laredo North Border Patrol Agent Joe R. White passed away early in the morning after suffering an apparent heart attack while on duty at the IH-35 checkpoint. Agent White was transported to Doctors Hospital by ambulance, but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
 
Agent White was a 7-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol and a graduate of the 223rd Border Patrol Academy class. He was a canine handler assigned K-9 Brutus. Prior to Brutus, Agent White was the handler for Benno, who was one of the original K-9 assigned to the Laredo Sector.
 
During his 3 1/2 year tenure as a canine handler, Agent White made 155 narcotic seizures worth $8,836,512, seized $126,800 in U.S. currency, and located 1,701 undocumented aliens.

Burial Details Unknown


2016

Jose D. Barraza
Date of Birth                       April 13, 1987
Entered on Duty:                August 8, 2008
Title:                                     Border Patrol Agent
End of Watch:                     April 18, 2016
     
Details:
On April 18, 2016, Border Patrol Agent Canine Handler Jose D. Barraza was killed in the line of duty in a two-vehicle accident near Sierra Blanca, Texas.
 
Agent Barraza entered on duty on August 8, 2008, as a member of U.S. Border Patrol Academy Class 800. He was assigned to the Sierra Blanca Station.
 
Agent Barraza was 29 years old and is survived by his wife, two children and his mother.

​Gravesite

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