September 4 - September 10
This Week in USBP History
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Good morning!
Welcome to another This Week in USBP History!
Before I jump into this week's intro, let me acknowledge that This Week in USBP History celebrates its first anniversary on September 6. The first email I sent was unsolicited to three HQ GS-15s. Today, there are 224 recipients and each one a subscriber. Thank you for reading!
Now to the intro...
What is the Border Patrol's culture and how did it originate?
Admittedly, what I am about to write will provide only the barest framework of an answer and would best be covered in detail in a book (what do you think Joe, maybe Volume IV?). So, it's not going to provide a complete answer but hope to entertain and stimulate thought.
As you read the following, remember that an organization's culture is defined by its leadership but lives in its workforce. If leadership fails to define culture, it will meander and undesirable characteristics may emerge.
When I think of the beginnings of the Patrol's culture, the first thing that comes to my mind is the January 1986 interview of Wesley Stiles (1898-1987). Wesley was one of the earliest Patrol Inspectors (PI) having entered on duty July 28, 1924 in Del Rio, Texas. Concerning performing the job of a PI, Wesley said, "No one knew what we were supposed to do or how we were supposed to do it... So we just walked around and looked wise."
I jokingly tell people that not much has changed in 98 years, and that would be a great quote for a signature block. But, on a serious note, it lays a cultural foundation that is still part of the Patrol today. In the absence of guidance, the Patrol and its employees will show initiative by stepping forward, making it up, and doing what they think is right.
Along the lines of Wesley, I think of Jeff Milton (1861-1947). As per documents that supported his retirement in 1932, he was neither a Border Patrol Inspector nor a member of the Border Patrol. He was a well-known law enforcement officer in the El Paso District, which encompasses modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors. It is thought that the leaders of the newly formed Border Patrol used Jeff Milton's rugged independence as an example for new inspectors to follow which may have led to him mistakenly being considered the first Border Patrol Inspector.
Jeff's rugged independence provided an example of confidence and bravery, individual and organizationally, to make decisions and charge forward. Not to mention that he was a tough-as-nails gunfighter in his younger years.
Concerning the Patrol's motto, Honor First, I have to wonder if it was created to guide the Patrol and its PI's, so that their rugged independence wouldn't run amok, providing a higher purpose and authority. Unfortunately, today the Patrol continues to miss the cultural opportunity to define Honor First. However, Chief of the Border Patrol Rodney Scott had a vision to create an op-ed and Live Honor First was the result. The paper was disseminated via email but without any follow-up to the workforce.
The Patrol's values are codified in its awards system, the USBP Honorary Awards. The system is designed to recognize administrative excellence, heroism and valor, law enforcement actions, lifesavings efforts, and service. If you're curious about an organization's values, look no further than why and how they recognize their employees.
My experience and observations, have led me to say, "The Patrol's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. It is the Patrol's fearlessness to confidently step outside of its assigned lane to do what it perceives to be right." To me, that statement embodies the sentiments of Stiles, Milton and Honor First. Further, far more often that not, the Patrol and its employees achieve greatness when stepping outside of its lane due to the caliber and competence of the workforce.
Wrapping up this intro, I remember one of my peers at HQ telling me that the Border Patrol, individually and organizationally, is a great partner, supportive and steadfast... But only as long as the Patrol's goal is shared by the other. If the other individual or organization does not share the Patrol's goal, the Patrol will still pursue its goal by going around, over, under or through any obstacle.
I present that the incredible competence of the workforce coupled with the following provides a great foundation for describing the Patrol's culture:
- Stiles' stepping forward in the absence of guidance,
- Milton's rugged independence,
- Tempered by the higher authority of Honor First,
- Organizational values, codified in the USBP Honorary Awards,
- Fearlessly stepping outside of lanes to do perceived right, and
- Steadfastly pursuing goals.
I'm sure there's much more I could have added. I hope you enjoyed the intro and it got you thinking...
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Now to this week's email!
We have tons of documents,
We celebrate the heroism of five Newton-Azrak Award recipients on the anniversaries of their action.
We also remember three of our fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths.
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).
- If this email doesn't render well, please follow the "View in Browser" link in the upper right corner.
- As always, make sure to explore all of the hyperlinks to documents and pages.
- Finally, please forward this email to whomever you think may enjoy it.
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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.
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The workplace climate resulting from a combination of organizational pride and employee morale.
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Organizational pride is the positive feeling experienced by employees from being part of a meaningful team that is rich in history, tradition and culture.
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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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1918
- Two documents from 1918 have been found where the Commissioner-General responded to a request concerning staffing levels along the Mexican border. The document from September 3, 1918 shows authorized numbers and the document from September 4, 1918 shows actual numbers. The documents specify that there were 68 Mounted Watchmen employed but 84 authorized. Mounted Watchmen were also known as Mounted Guards and Mounted Patrol. It is unknown and unverified where the "maximum strength of 75 watchmen" quote originated. The September 3rd document is the best evidence yet located that indicates the maximum strength of the mounted force (68 Watchmen).
1927
- On September 4, 1927, Rouses Point Chief Patrol Inspector L. Antonio Bonazzi (1890-1950) wrote a memo to the Montreal District Commissioner of Immigration which contained recommendations for four of the sub-district's stations and the creation of an additional station.
1929
- On September 10, 1929, Inspectors of the Big Bend Sub-district authored and signed a testimonial memorializing their friend and coworker, Senior Patrol Inspector Myles J. Scannell who had been killed the day before.
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The “war on the border” took an even uglier turn on September 9, 1929, with the brutal murder of Marfa Assistant Chief Inspector Myles J. Scannell, whose mutilated body was found on the north bank of the Rio Grande River at Polvo, Texas, fifteen miles east of Presidio. The El Paso Herald called it an assassination “so wantonly cruel” that it brought up the old days of Indian warfare with its display of “savage, anger and bloodlust.” The El PasoTimes described the horrific injuries inflicted by his attackers, including “being shot five times, stabbed 15 times, his skull being crushed and his neck broken by a club, and having his throat cut from ear to ear."
1930
- On a September 8, 1930, a gunfight occurred in El Paso between three Border Patrol Inspectors and smugglers at the foot of Grama Street. No injuries were reported in this 8 page document. It should be noted that the modern location where Grama St. meets East Paisano Drive, Paison Drive is approximately historic location of the United States and Cordova Island (Mexico). The following Inspectors were involved in the shooting:
- Patrol Inspector Richard A. Bush - He would leave the Patrol to become a motorcycle officer with the El Paso Police Department in 1935.
- Patrol Inspector Jack Clayton (1905-1968) - By 1937, he left the Patrol to be in the U.S. Customs Patrol.
- Patrol Inspector John Colbert (1894-1969)
1931
- September 10, 1931, the second BP Uniform Policy, General Order 179 (GO179), was implemented. Much of the amendments the BP's first Uniform Policy, GO42 were incorporated. One point of interest in GO179 was that the Sam Brown belt colors were different for the northern border (black) and the southern border (cordovan).
- Like GO42, GO179 would also have many amendments (1932-1935) to the original policy:
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1932 - Double breasted coat authorized
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1934 – Trousers begin to be authorized over riding crops on the southern border.
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1935 – Double breasted leather coat authorized
1954
- On September 9, 1954, as per this report, the SS Emancipacion departed Port Isabel, Texas en route to Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico with 800 Mexican citizens aboard. The report details the trip including that two of the aliens were lost at sea.
- A special thanks to Joe Banco for providing the report.
1961
- Border Patrolman "Leonard Gilman (1918-2012) would later testify before the Senate Aviation Committee about the hijacking. His testimony helped ensure the passage of Public Law 87-197 on September 5, 1961, making airplane hijacking defined as aircraft piracy under 49 U.S.C. § 1472 (i) and punishable by death or not less than 20 years confinement."
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On September 6, 1961, a meeting was held between the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Federal Aviation Agency, and Department of Justice on the future of Operation Skyguard. It was decided, due to other commitments required of the U.S. Border Patrol, that effective September 10, 1961, Border Patrol Inspectors would be utilized on a request basis and that primary and administrative duties for the program would transfer to the Federal Aviation Agency. During Operation Skyguard, 718 Patrol Inspectors flew on 1,310 commercial flights and covered a distance of 1,724,396 miles.
1962
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On September 7, 1962, Assistant Deputy Attorney General William Geoghegan (1925-2015) held a meeting in his office at the Department of Justice to discuss government intervention at Ole Miss to ensure the admission of James Meredith (1933- ). The meeting was attended by representatives of the DOJ, U.S. Marshals Service, INS Assistant Commissioner James Greene (1915-1995), and Chief of the Border Patrol Donald Coppock (1910-2011). During the meeting, plans were drawn out for the deployment of over 500 federal law enforcement officers, including more than 300 Border Patrol Inspectors, to be staged from the Millington Naval Air Base, in Memphis, Tennessee, with orders to deploy to Oxford, MS, to protect James Meredith and facilitate his enrollment at the University of Mississippi.
1963
- From September 9 - 13, 1963, Border Patrol Inspector were sent to the University of Alabama to assist the U.S. Marshals in allowing Vivian Malone (1942-2005) and James Hood (1942-2013) to become the first black students to register at the university.
2001
- On September 5, 2001, the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry finalized the spec sheet for the U.S. Border Patrol Chaplain's Device.
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Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries | |
Follow this link to see examples of USBP employees Upholding Honor First.
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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
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1996
Richard B. Holmes
Border Patrol Agent
McAllen Sector
Joseph E. Kempa
Border Patrol Agent
McAllen Sector
Michael W. Richardson
Border Patrol Agent
McAllen Sector
Andrew W. Schutt
Border Patrol Agent
McAllen Sector
Austin L. Skero II - photo
Border Patrol Agent
McAllen Sector
On September 10, 1996, agents from the Brownsville Station came under hostile fire while in performance of their assigned duties. During the encounter, Agent Rodelfo Martinez was wounded on the right arm. His fellow agents, Michael W. Richardson, Joseph E. Kempa, Andrew W. Schutt, Austin L. Skero II, and Richard B. Holmes, were performing line watch duties in an area along the Rio Grande River, approximately seven miles east of the Gateway International Port of Entry at Brownsville, Texas. The agents were working an area notorious for illegal alien and narcotics smuggling.
The immediate actions of the agents involved in the fire fight resulted in saving Agent Martinez’s life and not allowing themselves to succumb to the hostilities brought against them during the exchange of gunfire. These agents performed heroic and human acts during an emergency while under extreme stress and displayed exemplary courage under fire.
Agents Skero and Holmes were directly in line with the assailants, and Agents Kempa and Martinez and were initially pinned down by gunfire directed at Agents Kempa and Martinez. Bullets were landing all around them in their semi-covered position; however, when the assailants directed their gunfire at Agents Richardson and Schutt, Agents Skero and Holmes, without regard for their personal safety, moved to assist Agents Martinez and Kempa. Agent Holmes took up a position to protect Agents Martinez and Kempa. He assisted Agent Kempa in administering first aid to Agent Martinez. Agent Skero continued to engage the assailants who were still firing at Agents Richardson and Schutt. After the shooting had stopped, Agent Skero returned to assist in administering first aid to Agent Martinez.
HonorFirst Note - Agent Rodelfo Martinez would be awarded the USBP Commendation Medal with a "V" device for extraordinary heroism and the USBP Purple Cross for wounds received in the scope of duty.
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As of May 16, 2022, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 152* fallen.
Titles:
- 3 Mounted Watchmen fell before 1924 and are carried as Border Patrol fallen
- 48 Border Patrol Inspectors fell between 1924 and 1970
- 100 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.
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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.
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John Charles Gigax - He is not recognized as officially fallen by Customs and Border Protection or the U.S. Border Patrol. He is remembered by all except his own agency with his name being inscribed 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).
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1929
Myles J. Scannell
Date of Birth: December 19, 1895
Entered on Duty: September 27, 1921
Title: Senior Patrol Inspector
End of Watch: September 9, 1929
Details:
Senior Patrol Inspector, Myles J. Scannell, Marfa, Texas, was shot and killed on September 9, 1929, on the banks of the Rio Grande River near Polvo, Texas, southeast of Presidio. Inspector Scannell was working alone and apparently was attempting to arrest several aliens. Signs indicated that, while walking with the individuals he had in custody, Inspector Scannell was shot from ambush by someone else. His body bore two bullet and fifteen stab wounds. There is no information available concerning whether or not the killer or killers were identified or apprehended.
Inspector Scannell had entered the Service as a Mounted Watchman in September 1921, at Presidio. He was among the first Patrol Inspectors to be appointed to the Border Patrol in 1924, and became a Senior Patrol Inspector in July 1926.
See this 1929 testimonial from his brother officers written the day after his murder. Here is a cleaner version of the document.
Survivor benefits - As per this document, his wife received $78.74 per month for her and their child.
Gravesite
1941
Robert J. Heibler
Date of Birth: January 28, 1916
Entered on Duty: April 30, 1941
Title: Patrol Inspector
End of Watch: September 7, 1941
Details:
During the evening of September 7, 1941, Patrol Inspectors Robert J. Heibler and Eldon C. Wade were on duty inspecting traffic on U.S. Highway #90 about three miles west of Uvalde, Texas. At approximately 9:00 p.m., one of the road flares used to warn approaching traffic was blown out by the wind, and Patrol Inspector Heibler, while relighting it, was struck by a passing automobile and dragged about 20 feet. The automobile did not stop and Inspector Wade did not pursue it at the time feeling that it was more important that he render first aid to Inspector Heibler. He began artificial respiration. About 15 minutes later, a physician reached the scene of the accident, gave Inspector Heibler an injection of adrenalin, and continued artificial respiration; however, the officer died within a few minutes.
Gravesite
1946
Keith Connelly
Date of Birth: December 11, 1946
Entered on Duty: June 21, 1971
Title: Special Agent (Anti-Smuggling)
End of Watch: September 6, 1989
Details:
On September 6, 1989, at 1:45 a.m., Anti-Smuggling Agent Keith Connelly was shot by alien smugglers in the city of Fresno, California, where he died shortly thereafter. He was working an undercover operation accompanied by his partner, Ted Jordan, who was also shot but survived the ordeal. The Fresno, California Police Department responded to the emergency assistance call and apprehended the suspects who were turned over to the FBI for prosecution.
Keith Connelly joined the U.S. Border Patrol in June 21, 1971, in Chula Vista, California, being assigned to the San Clemente Station. He then transferred to Rouses Point, New York, in September 1975, and worked along the Northern Border until reassigned to San Clemente in May 1978. In 1983, he was transferred to Fresno, California, where he became a Senior Border Patrol Agent in December 1986. In August 1988, he was promoted to Special Agent assigned to the Fresno Anti-Smuggling Unit where he served until the time of his death.
Burial Details Unknown
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The green bubbles below are links.
Click to explore!
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A special thanks to the Border Patrol Museum, a non-profit organization (CFC #16083) for the use of many of their images on the site. 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.
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 Retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Banco |
Fellow USBP historian and retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Banco has written a series of very well researched books on USBP history. These include:
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HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol -Volume I covering the Mounted Guards, the formation of the U.S. Border Patrol, and its first 25 years,
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HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol -Volume II covering 1949-1974; and
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HONOR FIRST: The Unsung Heroes of Oxford telling the story of the U.S. Border Patrol deployment to the University of Mississippi in 1962 to defend the U.S. Constitution and ensure the enrollment of the first African-American at Ole Miss.
Joe is currently writing Volume III of the HONOR FIRST series, which will cover U.S. Border Patrol history from 1975-1999. Please visit his website at www.migrajoe.com or visit the Border Patrol Museum's Gift Shop for information how to order the books.
More about Joe
Joseph Banco is a naturalized U.S. citizen who emigrated from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. With over 38 years of government service, he retired from the U.S. Border Patrol in 2018 as the Deputy Chief of the New Orleans Sector after almost 24 years, having served on the Southern, Northern, and Coastal borders as well as assignments at Headquarters in Washington, DC, and overseas. These included border assignments in Texas, California, Arizona, Washington, Florida, New York, Michigan, and Louisiana, working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police while assigned as liaison at their Headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, negotiating international agreements with Canada, Mexico, and Central American nations and coordinating the posting of Border Patrol Agents around the world while assigned as Chief of Foreign Operations for the U.S. Border Patrol. Prior to entering the U.S. Border Patrol, Joseph Banco served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for more than 14 years as a Law Enforcement Specialist/Supervisor and Disaster Preparedness Manager. His service in the Air Force included assignments across the United States, in the European theater, and in Southwest Asia as part of Operation Desert Storm. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security. Joseph Banco is a recipient of numerous awards to include the Outstanding American by Choice Award, the Secretary’s Award for Excellence, the DHS Partner Award, and the USBP Commendation Medal.
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 Retired Immigration Special Agent Ray Harris |
Ray Harris is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Arizona, an Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Pensacola Junior College, and an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice from Pima County Community College. He is a 13-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps having achieved the rank of Gunnery Sergeant (E-7).
He entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) as a member of Class 139 on September 15, 1980. During his 17-year career with the USBP, he was assigned to five different stations:
- Presidio (1980-1982),
- Nogales (1982-1988),
- New Orleans (1988-1992),
- Temecula (1992-1995), and
- Riverside (1995-1997) where he had been promoted to Supervisory Border Patrol Agent.
In 1997, he transferred to Investigations within the Immigration and Naturalization Service as a Special Agent in San Bernardino, California. He remained in the position until his retirement from federal service in 2002.
He is a recipient of several Quality Step Increases and numerous performance awards. In 2020, Ray Harris was awarded the Border Patrol's highest award for performance, the USBP Commendation Medal. As of this writing, he is the only recipient to have received the recognition for efforts performed completely while retired.
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The Creation of the HonorFirst Website and Delphi Forums
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The internet saw its popularity begin to grow in the mid-1990. About that time, Ray Harris realized that there were no sites that contained information on the U.S. Border Patrol and its hiring process. To address that shortfall, sometime around 1998, Ray created a one-page website that consisted of a simple announcement that the Border Patrol was hiring. The site had a green background with a green font and included his email address. Here is a capture of the website from 1999.
After launching the site, Ray was soon was overwhelmed with applicants requesting additional information. In his attempt to answer the flood of applicants, Ray spent approximately four hours on the telephone per day speaking to applicants. Realizing the unsustainable pace was problematic, Ray found a solution with Delphi Forums. In March of 1998, Ray created an open forum that evolved to be the Agent's Forum. The idea behind the forum was for people who were in the hiring process, and agents, to offer assistance to new applicants in navigating the convoluted hiring process. At the time, the Agent's Forum was the only LEO forum on Delphi. In the following year, Ray created the Applicant's Forum.
Ray realized that the government seemed to have no intention of creating a website to inform and assist applicants. Therefore, he expanded the information contained on HonorFirst.com and switched website providers. HonorFirst.com was dedicated exclusively to assisting Border Patrol recruiting and helping applicants. Since its inception, the Applicant's Forum has accumulated over 48,000 members, with over 3.7 million additional people visiting.
The significant impact of the site became apparent when Ray received a call from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) stating that HonorFirst.com was skewing their statistics. To correct the anomalies, OPM assigned a code to collect statistics of applicants who applied from HonorFirst.com.
Years later, Ray received a call from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting to use content from HonorFirst.com to help establish what would evolve into today's CBP Border Patrol hiring page. Since then, CBP's hiring websites have improved and are great sources of information for applicants.
In March 2021, Ray invited recently retired Assistant Chief Clifford Gill to assist in moderating the Delphi forums and to be a webmaster for HonorFirst.com. Cliff has built on the solid foundation created by Ray and has expanded HonorFirst.com to include pages to attract current and former Border Patrol agents as well as those interested in the USBP. | |
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 Retired Assistant Chief Clifford Gill |
Clifford Gill is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the American Military University. He is a veteran of the United States Navy.
He entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) as a member of Class 377 on May 18, 1998. During his career, he worked in the Laredo Sector and at USBP Headquarters in Washington DC.
In his final assignment at USBP Headquarters, he served as the Assistant Chief over the Awards and History Programs. He was the founding program manager for each of those programs. As the historian, he made numerous significant discoveries through hours of research at the National Archives. In his previous assignment as the USBP Fleet Program Manager he identified efficiencies in managing the fleet that earned him the Logistician of the Year Award given by the International Society of Logisticians, Washington DC chapter. In addition to his regular duties he was a member of the USBP Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums (P&D). He led the formation of the P&D in 2007 and was the founding Commander.
He is a recipient of the USBP Newton-Azrak Award, the USBP Commendation Medal with a "V" device, the USBP Achievement Medal with "2" device in lieu of a second award and the USBP 75th Anniversary Medal.
In retirement, aside from sending USBP history mails, he assists Ray Harris in managing HonorFirst.com and in moderating the applicant's and agent's Delphi forums. To continue advocating for the USBP workforce, he maintains regular communication with active USBP employees of all levels/ranks through daily emails, telephone calls and via social media.
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USBP - W.I.N. E30: Ret. Assistant Chief Clifford Gill
Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens, interviews Retired Assistant Chief Clifford Gill. Clifford Gill is considered the first Border Patrol Historian. Gill discusses several myths regarding Border Patrol history. Topics include the actual founder of the Border Patrol, and the first established Border Patrol Station.
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The photograph above was taken of Cliff in December 2018 at the National Archives in Washington DC. At the time, he was the USBP's historian was discovering many of the documents that were used to create this email.
Joe Banco and Cliff have spent 100s of hours in that room constructing lost USBP history.
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