The most famous escape to ever occur at Alcatraz resulted in a battle. On May 2, 1946, five prisoners teamed up to plan an escape. Bernard Paul Coy was the head of the plan and was joined by Joseph Cretzer, Clarence Carnes, Sam Shockley, and Miran Thompson. On May 2, Joseph Cretzer covered himself with axle grease and started to climb the West End Gun Gallery. When he reached the top, he placed a bar-spreader between two bars and was able to make a ten inch opening to squeeze through. Cretzer waited for his accomplices to lure an officer out and knock him unconscious. The men were armed and successfully captured nine other guards and locked them in a cell. No one was able to pinpoint the key that unlocked the door to the recreation yard. An
