Escaping Uncle Sam’s Devil Island The Federal prison known as Alcatraz, is in the chilly waters of California’s San Francisco Bay. It housed some of America’s most difficult and dangerous criminals during the years 1934 to 1963. For over thirty years Alcatraz Island was the main destinations for the nation’s most violent criminals. Criminals like Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud, also known as The birdman of Alcatraz. With ninety guards working round the clock, including the national guard and coast guard who were one phone call away, but they were rarely needed. Thirty six daring men tried to escape the Rock, some tried more than once. Of the thirty-six, twenty-three were captured, six were shot and killed, two drowned,
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Procedures include identifying the most violent criminals, frequent head-counts, clear rules and regulations, and ongoing searches for contraband. For those who tried to escape, it wasn't long until the guards knew you were missing. Security guard towers were built around the island at four strategic locations, cells were rebuilt and fitted with tool-proof steel cell fronts and locking devices operated from control boxes, and windows were made secure with iron bars. Electromagnetic metal detectors were placed in the entrance of the dining hall and workshops, with remote controlled tear gas canisters mounted on the ceiling above the mess hall, making the mess hall one of the most heavily guarded areas at Alcatraz. Guards were armed with machine guns and would patrol along the corridors. The guards at Alcatraz were considered the best in the country, taking extensive self defence classes, having some military training, and learning to talk down even the most psychotic inmates. What made the island such a secure facility was the fact that it was an island. The chilly waters surrounding Alcatraz were considered extremely dangerous due to its fast waves and sharp rocks that surrounded the …show more content…
With the help of brothers John and Clarence Anglin they spent months of careful planning and preparation to escape the infamous “inescapable island.” Morris and the brothers carefully chipped away at the wall around the vents in their cells to remove the covers to hide their tools and materials they were gonna use to escape. Using a power drill made from a vacuum motor they were able to make holes big enough for them to fit through. Allen West also helped make tools to escape, he originally was going to escape but West failed to carve a hole big enough to escape out of. “By a stroke of good luck, West learned that the prison's vacuum had broken. He was permitted to repair it, and while inspecting the machine, he found that it had two motors. He carefully removed one, and was able to get the other working” (History.com) Using raincoats and glue West made a raft for them to float to shore with and also a device to easily inflate the raft when needed. They made fake heads out of newspapers and other objects they could find, as to not alert guards during nightly counts. As the men escaped their cells and made their way to the shore with their raft, a man standing on the golden gate bridge occupied the coast guard eventually leading in the man jumping off the bridge to his death. These three men left the island and were never
Procedures include identifying the most violent criminals, frequent head-counts, clear rules and regulations, and ongoing searches for contraband. For those who tried to escape, it wasn't long until the guards knew you were missing. Security guard towers were built around the island at four strategic locations, cells were rebuilt and fitted with tool-proof steel cell fronts and locking devices operated from control boxes, and windows were made secure with iron bars. Electromagnetic metal detectors were placed in the entrance of the dining hall and workshops, with remote controlled tear gas canisters mounted on the ceiling above the mess hall, making the mess hall one of the most heavily guarded areas at Alcatraz. Guards were armed with machine guns and would patrol along the corridors. The guards at Alcatraz were considered the best in the country, taking extensive self defence classes, having some military training, and learning to talk down even the most psychotic inmates. What made the island such a secure facility was the fact that it was an island. The chilly waters surrounding Alcatraz were considered extremely dangerous due to its fast waves and sharp rocks that surrounded the …show more content…
With the help of brothers John and Clarence Anglin they spent months of careful planning and preparation to escape the infamous “inescapable island.” Morris and the brothers carefully chipped away at the wall around the vents in their cells to remove the covers to hide their tools and materials they were gonna use to escape. Using a power drill made from a vacuum motor they were able to make holes big enough for them to fit through. Allen West also helped make tools to escape, he originally was going to escape but West failed to carve a hole big enough to escape out of. “By a stroke of good luck, West learned that the prison's vacuum had broken. He was permitted to repair it, and while inspecting the machine, he found that it had two motors. He carefully removed one, and was able to get the other working” (History.com) Using raincoats and glue West made a raft for them to float to shore with and also a device to easily inflate the raft when needed. They made fake heads out of newspapers and other objects they could find, as to not alert guards during nightly counts. As the men escaped their cells and made their way to the shore with their raft, a man standing on the golden gate bridge occupied the coast guard eventually leading in the man jumping off the bridge to his death. These three men left the island and were never