The Great Alcatraz Escape of June 1962

Introduction

The Alcatraz escape of June 1962 was a jailbreak from the supposedly escape-proof maximum-security federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island, California. After six months of meticulous preparation, three inmates managed to break out, though it is uncertain if they reached the mainland. It is thought by some to have factored into the decision to close Alcatraz prison less than a year later.

Background

Alcatraz had been a federal penitentiary since 1934 and was considered an escape-proof prison. Due to its escape-proof nature, it was often the prison of choice for inmates with a history of successful or attempted escapes elsewhere. All three of the escapees fit into this category, and Morris, the ringleader, was flagged as an “escape artist” on prison records.

Planning the Escape

For six months, Morris and the Anglin brothers had been planning and preparing for the escape. Morris was highly intelligent and his plan made allowance for the difficulty of swimming to shore in the cold water and strong current of the bay. He built an inflatable raft by gluing together rubber raincoats stolen from the prison shop, and used rubber life jackets. The three men had enlarged the grille openings in their cells with tools fashioned from spoons stolen from the mess hall. In order to hide the areas of excavation, they used fake grilles made from papier-mâché with paper taken from the prison library.

Carrying Out the Escape

The guard making the routine cellblock head count came upon three inmates apparently still sleeping in their cells. Further investigation revealed that the “inmates” were in fact dummy heads, made from painted papier-mâché with hair glued on, and that the actual occupants of the cells – Morris and the Anglin brothers – were nowhere to be found. The three men used a utility corridor and a plumbing piping to reach the cellblock roof. From there, they lifted themselves up through a large ventilation shaft and reached the roof of the building. They then used a large exterior pipe to slip 50 feet (15 metres) to the ground. After cutting through the barbed wire at the top of the perimeter fencing, they scrambled down a steep embankment to the water’s edge.

Consequences of the Escape

The escape prompted a massive manhunt, involving state and federal authorities as well as the U.S. military. It is fairly certain that Morris and the Anglins escaped from Alcatraz Island, but it is not known whether they successfully escaped to the mainland. Fragments of their rubber equipment were found on or near Angel Island, a former immigration station. In the ensuing years, there were supposedly several sightings of the escapees and messages from them. Reports of their survival were offered to the media by family members and former associates. The Federal Bureau of Investigation remained skeptical and closed its case in 1979, concluding that the three had drowned in the bay.

Analysis

Alcatraz had been considered an escape-proof prison, but Morris and the Anglins managed to pull off a successful escape. Morris was an “escape artist”, highly intelligent, and his plan made allowance for the difficulty of swimming to shore in the cold water and strong current of the bay. The three inmates spent six months planning and preparing for the escape. They enlarged the grille openings in their cells with tools fashioned from spoons stolen from the mess hall and used fake grilles made from papier-mâché with paper taken from the prison library to hide the areas of excavation.

The escape prompted a massive manhunt, however, the men’s subsequent movements are still unclear. It is fairly certain that Morris and the Anglins escaped from Alcatraz Island, but it is not known whether they successfully escaped to the mainland. Fragments of their rubber equipment were found on or near Angel Island, a former immigration station.

In the ensuing years, there were supposedly several sightings of the escapees and messages from them. Reports of their survival were offered to the media by family members and former associates. The Federal Bureau of Investigation remained skeptical and closed its case in 1979, concluding that the three had drowned in the bay. Their story was dramatized in the film Escape from Alcatraz (1979), starring Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris.

Conclusion

The Alcatraz escape of June 1962 is one of the most famous jailbreaks of all time. Despite the escape-proof nature of the prison and the intense manhunt that followed, it is still uncertain what happened to Morris and the Anglins. Whether they survived or perished in the icy waters of the bay remains a mystery.