Photo Credit: Aerr Eltringham

The CBP Border Patrol’s oldest living former patrol inspector, Marion Russell, 99, with CBP Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar and the nation’s chief patrol agents in Tucson, Ariz.

It was smack-dab in the middle of World War II when Marion Russell got the word to report to Camp Chigas, Tex. for the Border Patrol Academy. He had seen a flier on the school bulletin board in Billings, Mont. where he taught chemistry and biology. From there, the process led him to apply for a job with the Border Patrol and take a civil service exam. By the time he started the Academy near El Paso, Tex., he was 34 years old.

After completion of the academy, as part of Class 18, he reported to his first duty station of Douglas, Ariz. At the time, Russell was assigned to work for a senior patrol inspector, Hap Adams, and five patrol inspectors or PIs as they were then known. If you sit and talk with him today, he can still tell you the names of all seven of them, like it was just yesterday. He also has fond memories of his first chief patrol inspector, Carson Morrow, in the Tucson Sector.

He says there weren’t many PI’s in those days, let alone vehicles. Russell said of the times, “We were only allowed to put 20 miles on the vehicle per day.” From there, he added, “it was all on foot for the rest of the shift.” When it came to modern “luxuries” like air conditioning or heating in the vehicles, the chief felt that if he put them in the vehicles, the PIs wouldn’t get out of them to patrol.

The level of activity in those days was easier to keep track of. Russell says, “If we caught one illegal alien per day, it was a normal day. Anything more and it would have been busy.”

99 years young
By the time he called it a career, Russell had spent 31 years as a part of the Border Patrol, the last 13 years in charge of sector training. During that time, he was only ever permanently assigned to the Tucson Sector (he retired in 1973). In addition to Douglas, Marion spent time in Nogales, Sasabe, Tucson, Naco and Amado. In his time, an agent moving was done in one day, by way of a flatbed and/or horse trailer. He was detailed several times over the years to California, Texas, and down to Irapuato, Guanajuato during the years of the Bracero program.

Russell is a celebrity of sorts, within the Patrol and around Tucson. The Tucson Sector hosted him and numerous members of his family on November 20th, where he was honored for his years of service.

After meeting him, it’s tough not to be amazed at his activity level. His get up and go, has not gone anywhere! He still lifts weights and drives to breakfast every morning, where he shares stories with old friends and family. And he still has a hearty appetite and a healthy attitude on life. He concluded, “I’ve made it this long and I’m still planning on being around long after I hit 100.”