Scribble World Travel Blog

Alcatraz Highlights-The Escape of June 11, 1962

Alcatraz Quick Facts
*More than a million people visit Alcatraz Island every year
*The cost is currently $26/adult
*The Ferry to Alcatraz leaves from Pier 33 and takes approximately 15 minutes to reach “The Rock.”
*It’s best to purchase tickets in advance as they do get busy
*Find Departure Schedules & Prices at Alcatraz Cruises

Highlight #1 of our Alcatraz tour today—seeing the escape route chiseled into the concrete walls of Cell Block B where on the night of June 11th, 1962 three Alcatraz inmates carried out an elaborate escape mission—something that was attempted only 14 times during Alcatraz’s 29 year history as a federal penitentiary, and the only one that may have been a success. In the photos from Cell Block B, you can see where the prisoners Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and John Anglin chiseled their way through the concrete walls of their cells using rudimentary tools like a spoon with silver from a dime soldered onto it and an electric drill using a stolen vacuum motor. Apparently, the noise was disguised by accordions played during “music hour.”

The escape plan, which took months of planning, entailed sneaking out of their cells into the adjacent utility corridor and then escaping through the fan vent. First, they needed to remove some of the grilles on the fan, which they managed by stealing a carborundum cord out of the prison workshop. They then replaced the rivets with soap to make for a quick escape when the time was right. I could really use a visual about now—soap rivets?

To say the least, it was a complex and clever escape plan that required many months of patience to work out all the details. They even made an escape raft using dozens of prisoner issued rubber rain jackets which they inflated with a musical instrument called a concertina. They also created likenesses of their heads using papier-mache, real hair and paint brush bristles to look like hair and eyebrows and put those in their beds to fool the guards.

The FBI closed the case after a 17 year investigation concluding, “no credible evidence emerged to suggest the men were still alive.” That said, they were never proven dead either. I just find it interesting. My guess, and I can’t help pondering these things, is that they had outside help. Some of their personal items were found on Angel Island, which the investigators thought indicated they had drowned, I suspect this was part of the elaborate escape plot. Allen West, another cell mate, supposedly in on the escape, but who found his fake wall had solidified and he was unable to chip away at it fast enough– was left behind—he later told the FBI that their plan had been to paddle to Angel Island, then swim the Raccoon Straits to the Marin Headlands where they would steal a car, rob a clothing store and split up. I think Frank Morris, the one with the estimated I.Q. of 133 and the mastermind behind the escape plan, probably factored Allen West into their escape-leaving him behind could have been part of his plan from the start-perhaps assuming West woud cooperate with the FBI, Morris wanted them to believe that since the “plan” of stealing a car and robbing a clothing store hadn’t been carried through, they must not have succeeded-thus ensuring their real escape-which involved meeting an accomplice in a boat and heading for South America or some other locale where they wouldn’t be recognized and could start fresh. That’s my theory anyway

Highlight #2 would have to be the colony of Western Gulls we saw on Alcatraz Island. Certain pathways were blocked off so the birds had lots of room to make the island their own. Up to 1,100 lifelong mating pairs come to the island every winter. They are territorial birds and will fight for the right to nest in the same place year after year. April and May (in other words, now) is when they incubate their eggs for 28 days. Then in June, two or three thousand chicks will hatch and there will be quite a bit of screeching through July or August. Typically, only one of the three hatchling’s per mating pair will survive to fledgling. Sometimes, a baby chick will wander into another pairs territory and be killed, though occasionally an orphan chick has also been adopted by another pair. Western gulls can survive 15 to 25 years if they are lucky. It was pretty neat seeing them all spread out across the concrete grounds sitting in their nests-unlike most other birds, their nests are right there in the open and makes for an impressive sight.