Alcatraz: A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years Part 22

The inmates inside the cellhouse likewise were subjected to an additional count, and once it was complete, Captain Miller signaled Officer John Barker, who was posted on the recreation yard perimeter catwalk (considered the least favored a.s.signment by the correctional staff). He then lowered the key to Officer Al s.h.i.+eld, who would open the yard door leading to the Industries. When the signal was given, the inmates would march line-by-line down the narrow steep stairwell and pa.s.s through the "snitch box," a name affectionately given to the metal detector by the inmates. When each inmate had arrived at his a.s.signment, before they were all allowed to start work, the officers performed a final count. Once this process was complete, the numbers were called in to the Armory, where Cliff Fish tallied the latest figures. Then the yard was again secured, and the key was pa.s.sed back up to Barker on the catwalk.

After the inmates a.s.signed to the Industries were situated and the recreation door was secured, those who were a.s.signed to "inside details" were released from their cells. Then when all of the count data had been submitted to Fish in the Armory, Ernest Lageson started a.s.sembling and issuing equipment to the twelve men a.s.signed as cellhouse orderlies. He also a.s.sisted Bernie Coy, who was a.s.signed to the library detail and briefly supervised the orderlies' activities as they began reviewing the request and distribution lists. Cretzer was forced to remain in his cell, since he still had not been a.s.signed to a work detail, while the other inside-detail inmates lined up, waiting to start work.

The breakfast detail was supervised by Chief Steward Bob Bristow and Steward Charles Scanland, a.s.sisted by Officer Larry O'Brien. There were twenty-three inmates a.s.signed to the Culinary Department, and their work schedules were among the most demanding in the prison, though these a.s.signments were also the most highly coveted by the inmates. The culinary workers often labored seven days a week, and their cells were located close together at the west end of the cellhouse. They generally worked long hours, starting their day around 5:45 a.m., and ending sometime after 6:00 p.m. The culinary employees were not paid, unlike those working in the industries. However, there were many benefits that made this a.s.signment worthwhile. The workers could sample fresh foods, and could even make special dishes, provided they managed to squelch the suspicions of the correctional officers. It was also said that many of the culinary inmates were able to concoct their own "special brews." For convicts serving long sentences and life terms, there was little use for the money that they could earn in the industries. Additionally, all of the inmates a.s.signed to the "inside work details" were often allotted special daily recreation yard privileges, away from the normal inmate population. If their work in the cellhouse was completed satisfactorily, they were allowed a short respite in the yard every afternoon.

By 11:10 a.m. most of the inside detail activities were complete, and the inmates would then returned to their cells for a count and to prepare for lunch. On this particular day, Henry Langston was the only inmate a.s.signed to the yard for clean up and maintenance duty. Convicts a.s.signed to this detail were nicknamed "yard birds." Langston too was eventually called into the cellhouse, since inmates would soon be lining up in the yard in preparation to return to the Mess Hall. At 11:30 a.m. the powerhouse steam whistle blew, signaling the inmates to complete their tasks and prepare for the march back up into the main block. If the winds were blowing to the east, the industries whistle could often be heard at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. As an inmate recalled in an interview years later, several of the prisoners referred to their walk down the steep narrow path from the Recreation Yard as the "The Lonely Walk Down." It was the only time when the inmates could see the city of San Francisco with minimal obstruction from fences and barbwire.

When Captain Weinhold gave the okay, the inmates began their controlled march through the metal detector, up the steep and narrow stairwell and into the yard for another count. All the while, they were watched intensely by the watchtower guards, who were ready to aim and fire their rifles should this become necessary. As the inmates lined up in their rows, Officer s.h.i.+eld completed his counts. Once the counts from all of the industry a.s.signments were tallied and verified, the inmates were quietly marched back through the second metal detector and in to their cells. Once again as they carried out their tasks according to the strict protocol, Officer Miller hooked Key #107 to the lanyard clip, and Burch hoisted the key back up into the gun gallery. The inmates then took the time to rest and have a cigarette before the lunch whistle sounded.

At 11:55 a.m. the sound of a whistle resonated throughout the cellhouse, signaling for the inmates to line up outside their cells, and then at Captain Weinhold's direction, they filed into the dining hall as usual. It has been suggested that this meal period was the meeting hub where the final signals were given that the prison break was on. The lunch period progressed according to its usual strict customs, and at 12:20 p.m., when all of the inmates had finished their meals and the eating utensil counts were completed, the inmates were marched out of the Mess Hall and back to their cells for another count. After this process had been completed, all those a.s.signed to the industries would line up for their march into the recreation yard, and return to their specific work a.s.signment. There was also a second sick-call for inmates wis.h.i.+ng to be examined by the island's physician. The inmates would notify their correctional officer, who in turn would provide them an approval slip to leave their a.s.signment and fall into the designated line. Miran Thompson would be one of the first inmates to line up for sick call, while several others would form special lines for interviews with the a.s.sociate Warden, and the most favored would cue for visits that had been pre-approved by the Warden.

The cellhouse activities then started to s.h.i.+ft focus to D Block, where the inmates were to be fed, and those with limited privileges were to be prepared for a brief excursion to the recreation yard. Marvin Orr, one of the officers a.s.signed to the kitchen detail, helped wheel the food carts over to D Block, then started serving lunch to the inmates inside their cells, a.s.sisted by Correctional Officer Cecil Corwin. Officer Bill Miller had just returned from lunch, and he initiated the 1:00 p.m. inmate count. At that time, Bernie Coy gathered his broom and electric floor polisher and started preparing to clean the smooth-surfaced cement floors. With the majority of inmates back at work in the Industries, the cellhouse had grown fairly quiet, almost like a library.

By 1:30 p.m., the correctional staff was at its minimum level. Burch remained stationed in the West End Gun Gallery, where he usually spent his time after lunch on the D Block side, because the majority of the inmates would be found there during standard work hours. Of the prison's operational staff on duty at the time, Correctional Officer Ernest Lageson was leaving the main cellhouse to take a short lunch break; Corwin would be on duty solo on the D Block floor; Bill Miller would be alone in the main cellhouse overseeing routine maintenance and cleaning activities; and lastly Joseph Burdett, a correctional officer from Joplin, Missouri, would be supervising the clean-up in the kitchen and dining areas.

Before Lageson departed, he met with Bernie Coy to give final instructions about the areas that would likely require the most attention. Feeling confident that Coy understood his work directive, Lageson made one last round to ensure that the workers had started in on their a.s.signed tasks, and then made his way to the main entrance of the cellhouse, where he would leave the building for lunch. Lageson's exit would mark the onset of an event that would forever be ingrained into the history of The Rock. As Coy pushed his broom, sweeping the aisle down Broadway toward Times Square, he carefully made his way to the edge of the cellblock, watching Lageson gesture to gate Officer Al Phillips at the main entrance to let him through. In D Block, the period following lunch was usually very quiet, since most of the inmates would take naps around this time. Coy hurriedly made his way to the library, and then made a tapping sound on the access door to D Block, to signal that the escape was commencing.

The sound of the taps would be the signal for Sam Shockley, who had been confined to D Block for his role in the bold May 1941 escape attempt with Joe Cretzer. He was residing in cell #D-5. Sam's role was to start a disturbance in D Block, in order to s.h.i.+ft attention away from the main cellblock. As Shockley screamed and shouted violent threats, Officer Corwin called for a.s.sistance to help calm the inmate, who was nicknamed "Crazy Sam" by inmates and guards alike. Officer Burch made his way to the D Block end of the gallery, attempting to size up the situation before calling down to Miller.

Meanwhile, Bernie Coy was making his way toward the kitchen to signal Marvin Hubbard. Marv was stalling as he completed his clean-up tasks, pacing himself so he could stop work as soon as he received the signal from Coy. Hubbard had made careful efforts to ensure that everything was in perfect order, so that Officer Burdett would not become suspicious. In accordance with their meticulous plan, Hubbard made a final stop at the wooden knife rack, and carefully slipped a large butcher knife into the underside of his s.h.i.+rtsleeve with the handle resting in his palm. Hubbard then approached Burdette, stating that he had finished his work and was ready to get some fresh air out in the yard. Not suspecting anything unusual, Burdette granted Hubbard permission to leave. Hubbard then went to the dining room entrance and waited for Officer Miller to open the gate and let him pa.s.s. Miller, who was unaware of the recent problems in D Block, opened the gate and let Hubbard pa.s.s through. As procedure dictated, Marv then stood at the base of the West End Gun Gallery waiting for Miller to search him. Miller locked the gate after Hubbard and approached the inmate. Meanwhile Coy, who was closely watching the two while walking toward them from C Block, carefully started pus.h.i.+ng his broom closer and closer, trying not to spark suspicion.

Hubbard stood at attention, slightly lifting his arms so that Miller could start his head-to-toe search. Suddenly Coy grabbed Miller from behind with the quiet skill of a silent a.s.sa.s.sin, pinning his arms around his back. Hubbard started delivering violent and rapid blows to Miller's head using his clenched fists and Miller slumped over into unconsciousness. The East Gallery had been left unmanned as a result of budgetary cuts from the previous year and no one was at this post to monitor activity at the east end of the cellhouse. Bert Burch had rushed into the D Block side of the gallery to a.s.sess the disturbance that Shockley was causing. Officer Miller was thus left helpless, with no other prison guard aware of his plight. Hubbard and Coy each grabbed an arm, and starting dragging him around to cell #404 at the end of Seedy Street, which was used by guard staff and cellhouse workers as a common bathroom. Coy pulled the large key ring from Miller's belt clip, and opened the control box that housed the cell access levers. Having carefully watched the correctional staff open and close the various inmate cells, Coy was able to rack open #404 without a hitch. The inmates pulled Miller into the cell and Hubbard removed his pants and jacket. Miller was then gagged and tied to the cell bunk.

Cells #404 and #403, located at the end of C Block, were used by the escapees to lock up their hostages. This would the site of a cold blooded and vicious murder.

Joseph Moyle Bill Montgomery Earl Egan Joseph Moyle, an inmate who had just happened to pa.s.s through the main gate less than a minute before, was shocked to witness Coy and Hubbard pulling Miller into cell #404. Joseph Moyle and Bill Montgomery were both a.s.signed as Warden Johnston's "pa.s.smen." This was the most coveted work a.s.signment on Alcatraz as these men were allotted the most freedom of all the inmates, in order to serve as the Warden's personal stewards. The pa.s.smen worked directly in the Warden's house and often spent several hours each day outside of the normal confines of the prison. The inmates who worked as the Warden's stewards were handpicked and were generally nearing their release date. Though it may seem hard to believe, the pa.s.smen did most of the Warden's cooking and cleaning, and some reported that the Warden's wife would put on the radio (allowing them to listen to baseball games), leave out newspapers (which were prohibited inside the prison) and give them special treats like homemade cookies. Though the a.s.signment came with many great perks, these men were generally not trusted by the general inmate population, as they spent so much time with "Old Salt.w.a.ter" himself. Therefore as Moyle approached the escape accomplices, Hubbard motioned him to enter the cell with Miller to ensure that he didn't "rat them out" to an unsuspecting guard.

At about the same time two other inmates who were a.s.signed to painting details, Earl Egan and George Pichette, were walking up Park Avenue when they witnessed the activities that were transpiring just ahead. As Coy motioned them forward, Egan apparently indicated that he didn't want any part of the escape. But the men weren't taking any chances and Egan was also directed into the cell. Pichette had turned at the end of the cellblock and disappeared. The door of cell #404 was quickly racked closed, and Coy started running to the block control boxes and opening the cells of his other accomplices. Thompson, Cretzer, and younger inmate named Clarence Carnes all emerged from their cells in a state of near disbelief that Coy's plan had actually succeeded, even to this point. Carnes seemed an unlikely type to partic.i.p.ate in the escape, as he was the youngest inmate ever to be sentenced to the Rock at only eighteen.

When Coy had released his accomplices, he made a swift dash down the C Block utility corridor to where his tool set was hidden. Coy emerged from the pa.s.sageway with a cotton pouch of the type that inmates generally used to carry their dominos into the recreation yard. While the other inmates stood watch for Burch in the West Gallery, and for any other correctional officers who might enter the cellhouse, Coy quickly stripped down to his underwear and with Cretzer's help, smeared axle grease over his chest, head and extremities. He then briefly inventoried the tools in his sack and started climbing up the West End Gun Gallery from the juncture at Times Square and Michigan Avenue. Hand-over-hand, he scaled the barred cage until he reached the top.

An officer looks up toward the area where Bernard Coy scaled the gun galley. Using plumbing fixtures that had been fas.h.i.+oned into a makes.h.i.+ft bar-spreader; Coy quietly entered the Gallery and secured weapons.

The makes.h.i.+ft tool used by Coy to spread apart the bars at the top of the Gun Gallery.

Clenched in Coy's teeth was the small bag containing his crudely fas.h.i.+oned bar-spreader device, which had been made from toilet fixtures in one of the prison workshops. He set the tool firmly between the two bars (which were approximately five-inches apart), and using pliers or some type of gripping wrench, he was able to exert enough force to create an opening nearly ten inches wide. With Cretzer eagerly watching his progress from below, Coy painfully squeezed his body through the opening and slipped into the West Gun Gallery.

Without delay, Coy secured a riot club and positioned himself in a low crouch so that Officer Burch couldn't see him when looking through the window in the door. On Coy's signal, Cretzer sharply tapped the recreation yard access door with Miller's key ring, a standard indication to the gallery officer that the cellhouse guard needed a key for access. Burch was unknowingly being lured straight into an ambush. By now, Shockley had ceased his staged screaming fit and Corwin was sitting at his desk talking casually with D Block orderly Louis Fleish, the famed onetime leader of Detroit's "Purple Gang" of the early 1930's.

D-Block Orderly Louis Fleish.

When Burch pa.s.sed through the doorway, Coy forcefully hurled the wooden door forward, throwing the unsuspecting guard off balance. With brutal force, Coy clubbed the officer and forced him to the floor, then strangled him till he lost consciousness. Inmate Jim Quillen later recalled that all of the residents of D Block could hear the struggle in the gallery, and the first rumor to travel down the row of cells was that the "hacks" were fighting among themselves. But the prisoners quickly realized that an inmate had amazingly managed to infiltrate the gun gallery.

Coy quickly lowered a Colt .45 pistol with twenty-one rounds of ammunition and several riot clubs to Cretzer, who was standing on the officers' work desk. Coy then pitched down a large key ring that he was confident would hold the yard door access key, #107. After dropping these items down to Cretzer and now armed with a Springfield rifle and fifty rounds of ammunition, Coy entered the D Block Gallery, taking aim at the unarmed Officer Corwin. Coy directed Corwin to follow his orders carefully, and to stay away from the phone. He instructed him to walk slowly over and open the steel door that divided the segregation unit from the main prison. As soon as Corwin had rotated the key and the door swung open, he was met by Cretzer, who aimed the .45 directly at his forehead. As the barrel of the .45 was pressed against Corwin's forehead, the cold metal felt as though it was biting into his flesh. Louis Fleish had opted not to get involved, but he encouraged Corwin to follow Cretzer's demands so that he wouldn't get hurt.

Coy headed back to Officer Burch and stripped him of all his clothing, then tied him to electrical piping that ran near the floor. After ensuring that Burch would be unable to trip an alarm if he regained consciousness, Coy retraced his steps to the top of the gallery, carefully squeezed through the bars, and climbed back down to the cellhouse floor. Meanwhile Cretzer demanded that Corwin rack open #D-14, the cell of Rufus "Whitey" Franklin, an inmate who was notorious as a guard killer and a master escape artist. Franklin was serving time in isolation for the vicious murder of Alcatraz Officer Royal C. Cline in 1938. Corwin pleaded that he couldn't open the cell because the locking mechanism for all of the isolation cells was controlled from the gallery. Since Coy had already made his way back down, and would thus be able to open the cell doors himself, Corwin was stripped of his jacket, hat, and keys, and placed into cell #404 along with Captain Bill Miller, who was still unconscious. Coy then racked open the cells in the top two tiers of D Block, and Shockley and the other inmates started to emerge, attempting to size up the situation.

Though Franklin was left behind because they had been unable to access the lock mechanism to release him from his cell, Cretzer ordered an inmate to open the outer steel doors to all of the isolation cells on the bottom row. It is suspected that Floyd Hamilton, former outlaw and driver for Bonnie & Clyde, had also been in on the plot, though he did not take part in the attempt. In Hamilton's inmate file there was a notation that reads: Although Hamilton received but one misconduct report, the testimony of Mr. E. Lageson, cellhouse officer, who was one of the hostages in the prison escape plot of May 2nd to 4th, 1946, was to the effect that Coy, #415-AZ, ringleader to the rioters, was trying to get Hamilton unlocked from his cell so that he could join in the plot. This, with the fact that Hamilton had secured a lay-in for that day indicates he knew something about the plot and may have been involved to a certain extent.

As Cretzer pa.s.sed through the steel D Block access door, he observed Burch straining against his restraints and looking over the steel s.h.i.+eld of the gun gallery. Cretzer yelled to Burch in the gallery while pointing the .45: "I'll kill you if you try to reach that phone!" Coy and Cretzer then started shuffling through the keys on the gallery ring, trying to find Key #107, which would grant them access to the recreation yard. After several minutes of fruitless attempts, both became frustrated and tried to force the lock with any key that would fit, as their plan was starting to fall behind schedule. They had hoped to get into the recreation yard, snipe off the tower guards and then escape through the yard access door. They planned to get down to the dock area by using hostages, so the next item on the agenda was to secure captives, probably family members of the correctional staff. They would then hijack the prison launch to take them over to the mainland, where they would make their final escape. Everything had run smoothly, up until now...

The desperate inmates searched feverishly for key #107, but a brave correctional officer had concealed the key inside the hostage cell.

Standing at the recreation yard door, Coy and Cretzer methodically debated where the right key could be found. Cretzer seemed certain that it had to be one of the keys in their possession. Carnes called over to Cretzer and Coy from his lookout post, warning them that he had heard a gate inside the sallyport open and then close. About a minute later the main cell door swung open and Chief Steward Bristow emerged, walking briskly down Broadway towards the Dining Hall. Bristow was in charge of the prison's culinary division and he was completely unaware that armed convicts were roaming the cellhouse. He approached the Dining Hall door realizing that something was amiss, as the gate was not secure and Bill Miller wasn't anywhere to be seen. Attempting not to make any suspicious gestures, he turned quickly as if he had forgotten something, and headed back to the main gate, hoping Officer Phillips would be there to greet him. Carnes positioned himself in the cutoff corridor after quietly running up from Park Avenue, and he watched Bristow to see if he would enter the kitchen. Carnes was now armed with what an officer would later describe as a pair of sharp "artist's dividers," and he intercepted Bristow at the cutoff and led him to Cell #404 without any struggle.

Coy and Cretzer were now becoming very frustrated, as they had not antic.i.p.ated being unable to locate the yard key. The two inmates walked up to cell #404 where Bill Miller was now fully conscious and sternly demanded to know where key #107 was hidden. Miller denied having any knowledge of the key's location, since it was strict protocol to return it to the gun gallery officer after using it. He insisted that the key must be in the gallery, adding that the inmates had witnessed the procedure numerous times themselves, and therefore must know that this regulation was stringently followed by all correctional officers. Coy and Cretzer walked a short distance to the officer's desk in D Block, and laid out all of the keys, searching for #107. What they didn't know was that Miller had failed to follow protocol and for convenience sake, had slipped key #107 into his s.h.i.+rt pocket. It was a stroke of luck, but Miller's act of mild nonconformity was in fact upsetting the entire escape effort.

Suddenly, one of the inmates signaled that someone was coming through the main gate. At about 1:45 p.m., the gate opened and an unsuspecting Ernie Lageson strolled into the main cellhouse. While making his way down Broadway, he quickly noticed that something was wrong. Turning to look back, he recognized Bernie Coy wearing a pair of officer's pants and no s.h.i.+rt. But before he could act, Coy aimed a rifle at him, leaving him no chance of escape. Coy forced Lageson to walk through the cutoff and onto Seedy Street, where he was searched and stripped of his keys and other valuables. With few words exchanged, he was shoved into the now crowded cell #404.

Sam Shockley then turned up at the cell front, yelling that Lageson had a.s.saulted him previously when shoving him into the strip cell. Shockley insisted that his comrades let him at the officer, but Hubbard and Cretzer only pointed their weapons, discouraging this foolish behavior. Still Sam was fixated on injuring Lageson, and he stood at the cell front making threatening slurs. Finally Cretzer aimed the pistol at Shockley's head, warning him to back off and calm himself.

As Lageson entered and moved to the middle of the crowded cell, Corwin quickly briefed him as to what had happened. It baffled them as to how Coy had managed to penetrate the gun gallery and access the weapons. Their initial a.s.sumption was that Coy had perched himself on something, then grabbed Burch by his clothing from outside, repeatedly smas.h.i.+ng him against the tool-proof steel bars. Another hypothesis was that a guard had been held hostage until Burch surrendered the weapons. The gun gallery had once been thought to be one of the most secure positions in the prison, and it was hard to imagine how its security had been breached.

Officer Joseph Burdette had been busy tending to his duties down in the kitchen bas.e.m.e.nt and had finally come up to inspect the dining area. Like Officer Bristow, Burdette was puzzled to find the Dining Hall gate open, with no sign of any floor officers in the vicinity. As he carefully looked around the area he noticed Coy walking by, and thinking that the prisoner was about to get into a fight with another inmate, Burdette made the ill-fated decision to venture out into the cellhouse and investigate. In a matter of only seconds, Burdette was captured, escorted through the cutoff and thoroughly searched before being placed in #404 with the five other occupants.

By this point, Coy was in a frenzy to locate key #107. He probably realized that his time was running out and that someone would soon notice that the guards were missing from their post a.s.signments. Once the island's siren was activated, it would be all over. The prison would go into lock-down mode and every guard, including all of the reserves, would be issued firearms and stationed at all points on the island. Coy started to verbally trace the chain of custody of Key #107. The guards being held captive could hear Coy's desperation as he struggled to locate the key. Then Lageson and Bristow asked Cretzer if they could untie Miller, who was still bound to the bunk, and surprisingly Cretzer agreed. While Lageson and Bristow were untying him, Miller covertly pa.s.sed the key to Burdette, who stealthily slid to the back of the cell. As the other guards stood at the front of the cell, blocking the view and distracting everyone's attention by asking questions, it is alleged by some historians that Burdette quietly dropped the key into the toilet bowl, and then submerging his hand, pushed it back until it was out of view (It should be noted that in at least one of the official FBI statements derived from interviews with the hostages, it was indicated that the key was simply hid behind the toilet and not submerged. The above is simply the most common written theory, and it is likely inaccurate).

A few minutes later Coy returned to the cell front and demanded that Miller tell him where he had put the key. Quite heroically, Miller maintained that the key must still be in the gallery, since he remembered pa.s.sing it to Burch. But Bernie Coy was furious, and opened the cell demanding that Miller's person and every inch of the cell be thoroughly searched. Miller was forcefully removed from the cell, and was searched in an aggressive manner by Cretzer while standing in the aisle of Seedy Street. Still in acute pain from the attack, Miller held his ground, telling Coy that he would have to go back into the gun gallery if he wanted to find the key. Coy was incensed.

The conspirators then transferred the officers from cell #404 into cell #403. The two inmate hostages, Egan and Moyle, begged Cretzer to let them go, pleading that they didn't deserve to be locked up with the guards. In what may have been his only act of kindness, Cretzer nodded and told them to go back to their cells. Both scurried out, looking for any open cell in which to take cover. Hubbard and Cretzer thoroughly searched the other officers, sometimes jabbing them with the barrel of the pistol. Thompson and Coy took a box of keys from the cellhouse officer's desk, and tried every key in hope of finding a duplicate disguised with a dummy number. Both inmates went key-by-key, forcefully inserting them into the yard door lock tumbler, hoping to find a match.

Correctional Officers Ed Stucker and Emil Rychner.

Joe Fisher Officer Ed Stucker was a.s.signed to the cellhouse bas.e.m.e.nt, to supervise inmate barbers Joe Fisherand William Bartlett, as well as the activities in the clothing room and the shower area. Stucker carried the reputation of a by-the-book guard who generally engaged in very little small talk with the inmates. There were eighteen other inmates under his supervision and some of them were getting haircuts, while others were on work detail sorting clothing. Two inmates asked if they could be released back to the main floor after getting their haircuts, as they had been promised time in the recreation yard if they finished early. Stucker agreed, and the two ascended the stairs that led up to the base of the West End Gun Gallery, at the juncture of Times Square and Michigan Avenue. When the inmates reached the top of the stairs, they looked around through the large-link steel caging that enclosed the stairwell, but couldn't locate Miller or any other officer. After calling out and brashly tapping the steel mesh access door, the two inmates descended and asked Stucker if he could get someone to come and let them out, as no one had responded to their calls.

Stucker was puzzled that the inmates couldn't get the attention of any officer. If Miller was busy, then Burch would usually hear the tapping from the gallery and summon an officer. Stucker instructed the inmates to remain in the bas.e.m.e.nt, and went up to see if he could catch Miller's attention. Once he reached the top, he looked through the steel grating and was shocked to see a few inmates standing around unsupervised. Stucker swiftly secured the padlock, which was generally used as an added security measure, and headed back downstairs. At the bottom of the stairwell he pulled the receiver from the only phone that he could access in the bas.e.m.e.nt, and dialed the Armory (Note: Stucker in an FBI interview, indicated that he had seen Cretzer with a pistol and reported this information to the Armory. Although not verifiable, for the sake of accuracy, his testimony should be considered as an equal account). As soon as Fish picked up, Stucker explained that he thought there was something seriously wrong in the cellhouse. Fish immediately hung up and started ringing the West Gallery and dining area. After dialing several phones in the west cellhouse with no response, Fish immediately contacted Lieutenant of the Watch Joseph Simpson, who was in the Administration Office doing paperwork. Fish explained that there seemed to be a problem in the cellhouse, and that he could not reach any of the officers at their posts.

Simpson quickly summoned Records Officer Carl W. Sundstrom and Bob Baker, the mail officer who spent most of his time reading and censoring inmate mail. The three men quickly entered the Armory and inquired whether Fish had received any updates from the floor or gallery officers, but still no one had picked up the cellhouse phones. Fish now suspected the worst and started communicating to the others that he felt it was not safe to enter the cellhouse. All three officers ignored his advice and prepared to make entry. Simpson and the three others navigated their way through the sallyport gates and carrying only wooden billy clubs, entered the cellhouse heading straight down Broadway toward the Dining Hall.

Officer Bob Baker Unfortunately, they would meet the same fate as the other officers. The armed inmates all stood waiting at the west end of the cellblock, and they ambushed the three officers. The captive guards had been moved out of #404 and into #403 to allow for the cell search, and Bristow and Simpson were led to cell #402.

Back at the Armory, Officer Fish had finally been able to get through to the hospital, where the staff members on duty were going about their business, unaware of the events that were transpiring just downstairs. Fish instructed them to secure themselves, because something was happening on the cellhouse floor. Fish then called back to Stucker, explaining that no one was answering the phones, not even Officer Burch. It was becoming evident that something serious was afoot. The two officials quickly got off the phone, and Stucker explained to the twenty inmates that there was a "problem" in the cellhouse. He said that they would need to remain in the bas.e.m.e.nt for a little longer than usual today, since he didn't want any of them to get involved. He tried to downplay the prospect of any serious trouble, realizing that if the inmates caught on to what was happening in the cellhouse, his life could potentially be placed in jeopardy. Stucker quickly and calmly moved the inmates into the band practice area, explaining that they would be allowed to head back upstairs shortly. He walked to the base of the stairs, looked up, and noticed someone attempting to pry open the bas.e.m.e.nt door. Not wanting to tip anyone off, he casually walked back into the band practice room and secured the door.

Meanwhile Coy went back into cell #404, and he and Cretzer started methodically going through the cell inch by inch in case the guards had been bold enough to try and hide the key there. Suddenly Coy had the idea that they might have attempted to flush the key. This seemed like a long shot, but there was a slim chance that it was lying hidden inside the toilet, just out of view. Coy took off the guard's coat, positioned himself on his hands and knees, and reached into the salt.w.a.ter-filled toilet bowl. As he groped along the bottom, he suddenly felt a piece of metal with the shape and texture of a bra.s.s key. He maneuvered the key out with his fingers, and strained to read the number. Sure enough, it was #107. Coy handed the key to Thompson, who carefully guided it into the slot, and attempted to turn the mechanism... But the key still would not work. The dead bolt had been specially designed to jam if it was sufficiently tampered with. The security design had worked, and despite the inmates' frenzied efforts, the key would not budge the heavy steel dead bolt.

The heavy steel door leading to the recreation yard from the main cellhouse.

By now Cliff Fish was incredibly nervous, and he rang all of the phones located at the main internal posts. The ringing phones could be heard throughout the cellhouse, and this seemed to contribute to the stress of the inmates involved in the plot. Still there was no answer, and at about 2:00 p.m. Officer Fish called the Warden at his residence. Mrs. Johnston answered the phone, and explained that the Warden was taking a nap and had asked not to be disturbed. Fish explained that there was a crisis in the cellhouse and stressed that he needed to speak with the Warden urgently. Fish then briefed Johnston about the situation. Johnston instructed him to contact all of the tower posts as well as the a.s.sociate Warden, and added that he would wash up and meet Fish in the Armory within a few minutes. Fish then found himself in a rare predicament the Warden had left him to decide whether or not to sound the siren. At this point, he had been unable to confirm any serious problem. But once the siren was engaged, it would sound for three minutes with no way to deactivate it and the siren's wail would signal to the world that there was a major situation at Alcatraz. At 2:07 p.m., Fish reached over and unlocked the siren cover and pressed the activation key.

When the siren began to sound, it could be heard across the Bay as far as the town of Marin. The conspirators were keen to the obvious. This was it they now knew that the chances of escape were almost nonexistent. The island would soon be swarming with armed officers, and measures were probably already in place to prevent them from gaining access to the launch. Jim Quillen would recall in a later interview that he left D Block around this time and walked out onto Seedy Street, asking Cretzer if he and fellow inmate Jack Pepper could come along. Cretzer was apparently conscious that their chances of escape where dashed, and he shook hands with Quillen and told him to go back to his cell, because he didn't think that they were going to make it to the mainland. He asked Quillen to try to get Sam Shockley to return to his cell too, but Shockley motioned them to wait a minute, and then walked away. This was the last he would ever see of them.

Coy had entered the bakery carrying the Springfield rifle, and he lined up a shot to take out the Hill Tower guard, Elmus Besk. Upon hearing the siren, Besk walked out onto the catwalk to check for any unusual activity. Coy carefully punched out one of the windows and then opened fire. Elmus was struck in the legs, and dropped to the deck in severe pain from several fragments of a bullet that had struck the railing and broken apart. Fish would later recount that Besk crawled back into the tower and phoned him, reporting that he had been shot with what had seemed almost like a shotgun. Besk communicated that he would hold out until they could get him help, and dressed his own wounds using rags.

Coy then ran up into the kitchen and punched out a pane from another window, this time targeting the Road Tower guard, Irving Levinson. The first bullet ripped through the window and Levinson quickly dropped to the floor for cover. He scanned the prison windows to see if he could make out where the shot had come from. He noticed the yard wall officer who was lying on the catwalk, looking over at him and motioning toward the kitchen. Levinson pulled his rifle over and remained ready to fire, while attempting to determine where the shot had come from. Coy then walked to the other side of the mess hall and punched out another pane, this time taking aim at the Dock Tower guard, Jim Comerford. Coy squeezed off another round, and the bullet sliced through the Dock Tower window. Comerford dropped onto the narrow perimeter catwalk, taking aim at the cellhouse with his rifle as he heard the bullet whiz past his shoulder. Comerford's wife heard the shot and ran toward the tower, attempting to see if her husband was injured. Comerford waived that he was not hurt and directed her to go back home and take cover. The powerful rifle shots reverberated all over the island and it was later reported that they had been heard as far away as the sh.o.r.es of Marin and San Francisco.

One interesting detail is that the Armory Officer was usually responsible for calibrating and adjusting the target sights on every Springfield that was returned to the Armory. Fish would later note that his adjustments had been off by nearly six inches and this probably had affected Coy's aim, thus saving the lives of a few officers. Several of the island's residents heard the rifle fire and retreated into their homes. They knew that the chance of an inmate acquiring weapons was remote, but that nothing was impossible.

Dock Tower Guard Jim Comerford.

Captain of the Guards Henry Weinhold was an ex-marine and he had the reputation among his peers as very capable but rigid officer. After talking with Fish, Weinhold took a gas billy and demanded that he be admitted to the cellhouse. Fish had been vehemently protesting against anyone entering the embattled building, but his pleas fell upon deaf ears. Weinhold went into the cellhouse by himself. He too was quickly captured by the armed convicts and was led off to join the other hostages. But before Weinhold could be put into the cell, Shockley viciously attacked him. Jim Quillen later stated that he saw Shockley throw a punch at Weinhold, who was able to duck and avoid the blow. Shockley apparently fell into a deep rage, charging Weinhold and attempting to kick him in the groin. Weinhold blocked the force of the kick by lifting his leg, then clenched his fist and struck Shockley straight in the mouth. Shockley then went crazy, just as Carnes appeared with Officer Sundstrom, jamming the billy club sharply into his back and pus.h.i.+ng him forward into the cell. Sam struck Sundstrom in the head, knocking him off balance. The other inmates then calmed Sam down, while Cretzer made Sundstrom strip, and confiscated his pants and wallet.

An official affidavit written by Officer Carl Sundstrom, describing the theft of his wallet by Joe Cretzer.

a.s.sociate Warden Edward J. Miller, known to his peers as "Ed" but nicknamed "Meathead" by the inmates, was at home when he received the call from Fish. Without wasting any time, Miller hiked up the steep path to the main building and hurriedly reported to the Armory. After receiving a full briefing from Fish he decided to enter the cellhouse on his own, to help ensure the safety of his fellow officers and to straighten out what he believed was a simple cellhouse fight. Once again Fish protested, knowing that something had gone seriously awry. But without further consideration, Miller grabbed a gas billy and entered the east end of the cellhouse. As he cautiously starting walking up Broadway, he observed someone who he thought to be an officer walking towards him. But within seconds he had caught a closer glimpse and he recognized that it was actually Bernie Coy, carrying a rifle. Miller quickly attempted to retreat and armed the gas billy. Coy started to run at Miller and managed to fire off two rounds. One of them struck the gas billy, causing it to explode in Miller's face and he quickly withdrew into the sallyport, half-blinded and with moderate burns. Gate Officer Al Phillips quickly secured the main door while Miller walked back toward the administrative offices, where the Warden had just arrived.

An official affidavit written by Officer Carl Sundstrom, describing the theft of his wallet by Joe Cretzer.

By now, word was coming in that a sniper taking aim from the cellhouse kitchen might have injured a couple of the tower guards. Ed Miller, still in pain from his facial injuries, started to brief Johnston on what had taken place. Then as the sirens wailed again, resonating off nearly every structure of the island, Johnston gave the directive to a.s.semble all of the off-duty officers immediately, as it was now obvious that the inmates intended to blast out of the prison. Johnston and Miller started to plan their strategy, and using a procedural matrix, they initiated calls to the neighboring police departments in San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, as well as to the FBI, the Coast Guard, the U.S. Marshal, the Justice Department, and the Bureau of Prisons.

a.s.sociate Warden E.J. Miller suffered moderate burns to his face after his gas billy exploded during an altercation with one of the conspirators.

Reinforcements were brought in from a variety of agencies and organizations. They included personnel from the Bureau of Prisons, law enforcement agencies, and the US Military.

A correctional officer firmly warns an approaching vessel to maintain its distance.

Johnston pulled out the cellblock diagrams and charted the areas that appeared to be secure and those that were now controlled by the inmates. Then he and Miller began to post officers at critical observation points, and to follow the prescribed protocol for securing the island. All of the resident off-duty officers were speedily armed and a.s.signed to established posts on an anti-escape perimeter around the prison building. The prison launch was searched and then sent out to patrol on a 200-yard-wide security area around the island, with an armed officer onboard. The Control Room officer had been instructed to try to contact all of the off-duty guards who resided on the mainland. The inmates who were working at the dock and outside the normal security area were quickly marched to the prison industries work area at the northwest end of the island, under armed supervision. Specific measures had been taken to secure the inmates at work in the industries within their respective buildings, until more officers were available to facilitate their safe transfer to the recreation yard.

Meanwhile inmates Coy, Hubbard, Cretzer, Thompson, Shockley and Carnes, desperate and without any alternative plans, found themselves in a stalemate. None of them knew exactly what their next step should be, but Coy, Cretzer, and Hubbard made it clear that they didn't intend to be taken alive. Carnes would later comment that he was surprised at how casually they had talked about the possibility of dying. The trio made a pact that they would not surrender, and would try to stay alive for as long as possible, hoping to the end that some opportunity would arise for them to complete their escape. Coy headed off to cover the main entrance, as he knew that Miller would return with reinforcements to try to infiltrate the cellhouse.

Hubbard remained at the entrance of D Block, talking with some of the inmates who were still wandering around. It was becoming more evident that the prison escapees would most likely be attacked with heavy gunfire, and so he started instructing the other inmates to return to their cells and take cover. With the sirens blaring and the distantly ringing phones echoing from various points in the cellhouse, Cretzer was starting to get panicky. He conveyed to the others that all of them would get "thechair" if Coy had killed any of the tower guards. He explained that if the guard staff was able to regain control, which would most likely be achieved by sheer brutal force, the hostages would certainly testify against them. Cretzer started pacing indecisively in front of the cells, and Shockley stood loyally by, awaiting Cretzer's next directive. It was now becoming painfully clear that their escape had failed, and that the full wrath of the prison administration would soon fall upon them.

It was later reported that Captain Weinhold tried to reason with Cretzer at this point, but this only seemed to agitate him even more. Weinhold tried to reason that every point of the island would soon be swarming with armed guards, and that the conspirators didn't stand even a remote chance of escaping. There was also a well-known rule that the Prison Bureau would not trade the life of a hostage for the freedom of an inmate. This was a hard and fast policy in the prison system, which still exists today. Thompson had completely given up on opening the yard door, and Cretzer hesitantly floated the idea that they should rid themselves of their hostages. If they killed the captives, then no one could ever identify the ringleaders. Thompson stood in agreement they simply could not afford to leave any witnesses. At this point Shockley became manic and started yelling in front of the cells, "shoot'em all dead, go ahead and kill'em!" Shockley couldn't control his rage, and he repeatedly urged Cretzer to pull the trigger. Weinhold calmly appealed to Cretzer to be sensible, and to stop before anyone was hurt. But Cretzer, with little sign of emotion, walked to the front of cell #404, c.o.c.ked the hammer on the .45, and pulled the trigger, shooting Captain Weinhold straight in the chest. Shockley's cheers resonated throughout the cellhouse, screaming wildly: "shoot the f.u.c.kers dead!"

A view of the blood-stained wall of cell #403, where four officers were shot in cold blood by Joseph Cretzer.

Weinhold fell to the floor of the crowded cell as Cretzer, in a manic rage, again took aim and opened fire. A bullet struck Miller, ripping through his chest and exiting through his arm. Corwin was. .h.i.t in the face and crumpled to the ground, bleeding profusely. As Cretzer coldly aimed and pulled the trigger in a series of staccato shots, the other officers fell to the floor in a ma.s.s of human carnage. Cretzer then pulled out the ammunition clip and slowly a.s.sessed the fallen officers. The captives in the next cell listened in horror as he methodically loaded bullets into the clip and then snapped it back into place. He walked to cell #403 and calmly raised the pistol between the bars, taking aim at the terrified officers and firing off several more rounds. The piercing sounds of gunfire rang through the cellhouse as Simpson took a bullet in the abdomen, and Baker fell to the floor as another shot hit his left leg, shattering his femur. Sundstrom lay cringing on the floor, expecting pain to riddle his body, but surprisingly the bullets had missed him. The officers lay on the floor of the cramped cells, waiting helplessly for the next flurry of bullets.

Thompson and Shockley paced in front of the cells, watching for any signs of movement within. Finally Shockley yelled that he saw a "screw" moving, and begged Cretzer for the gun to finish him off. Cretzer walked to the front of cell #404 where Ernie Lageson bravely emerged from among the wounded officers, trying to calm the irrational inmates. Cretzer made some surprisingly positive comments to the others about how well he got along with Lageson, adding that perhaps he should be spared. But Shockley and Thompson demanded that no witnesses should remain. If Lageson survived, he would make sure that each one of them received the death penalty, so Lageson could not be spared. Cretzer raised the pistol to Lageson's head, stating simply, "I'm really sorry, Mr. Lageson," as he firmly pulled the trigger. Stillness spread over the cells and pools of blood started to saturate the cement floors.

As Cretzer peered into the cells he could still see some movement, and he heard a few m.u.f.fled moans from what appeared to be Baker and Simpson, still alive and in terrible pain. Again he raised the pistol and clipped in a few more rounds, then fired. The cell was still once more, with patches of dense smoke slowly dissipating into a fogged haze. Coy had heard the barrage of gunfire, and he appeared at the front of the cells, observing the aftermath of Cretzer's ma.s.s execution. Weinhold was completely unconscious and unresponsive, due to a large bore bullet wound that had torn straight through his body and left him bleeding profusely on the cell floor. But Lageson had only been slightly grazed with a minor burn to his left ear, and he covertly lifted his head to a.s.sess his surroundings. Corwin's condition appeared critical; he had clearly been struck in the facial area, as his jaw was grimly deformed. Burdette and Bristow had both escaped injury. Miller was unconscious, and his condition was also extremely critical. He lay bleeding from a gaping wound, and his breathing was labored and shallow. In the other cell, Sundstrom was completely uninjured, and was attempting to lie as still as possible on the floor of the cell. Simpson and Baker had both been hit again during Cretzer's frightening attack. Simpson was unconscious and immobile, and Baker was lying immobile, praying that Cretzer would not fire again.

Carnes was now armed with the butcher knife that Hubbard had taken from the kitchen, and he was directed by Cretzer to stand watch at the cell fronts. Cretzer sharply ordered him to go in and "cut their throats" if he noticed any movement. Carnes peered into the cells, carefully watching over the officers, who were lying amid the murky pools of blood. As he looked intently at each officer, he soon noticed slight breathing movements. But when Coy and Cretzer returned and asked him if the captives were all dead, Carnes risked his safety by a.s.suring his accomplices that Cretzer's bullets had killed them all. The inmates then walked off, discussing the strategy of their next move. Carnes and Thompson realized that their cause was hopeless, and jointly pleaded with the others that they didn't stand a chance without weapons, and that they wanted to return to their cells for shelter. Carnes and Thompson then wished the trio luck, and headed back to find open cells in which to take cover. They would both carefully attempt to wash the officers' blood from their clothes, hopeful that no one would identify them as having played a role in the escape attempt.

Back in the b.l.o.o.d.y cell, Ernie Lageson carefully looked up, and seeing that no one was watching over them, he slowly reached into his s.h.i.+rt pocket and pulled out a pencil. On the cell wall he inscribed the names of Cretzer, Coy, Carnes, Hubbard, Thompson and Shockley. He then circled the names of Cretzer, Coy, and Hubbard, and placed a check next to Cretzer's. The list was written indistinctly but legibly on the cell wall, and was clear enough to serve as evidence if the guards were all killed. The circled names indicated the ringleaders, and the check mark would leave no question as to who had committed the murders.

Officer Lageson had the foresight to scrawl the names of the conspiring inmates on the cell wall, circling the names of the ringleaders. This would prove to be a key piece of evidence in the trial of the surviving inmates.

(Author's note: It has also been argued that it was Officer Carl Sundstrom who inscribed the names on the cell wall. Armory Officer Clifford Fish vehemently insisted that Sundstrom had told him immediately after being rescued from the cellhouse that he had performed this act. I have been unable to find any other references that provided proof of this argument, but Fish's account should also be considered, as he seemed adamant about this fact, and his recollections of events were usually exceptionally precise. For the sake of accuracy, it should also be noted that a feature article in the San Francisco Chronicle [May 5, 1946, p. 8] reported that Sundstrom had first made notations on a blank piece of white paper, and had then inscribed on the cell floor: "Cretzer killed or shot Joe Simpson in the stomach and chest twice and shot Baker also. He missed me so far." It is possible that these two details have been confused, and that Lageson was actually responsible for the wall inscription.) Cretzer, Hubbard, and Coy then started toward C Block, entering the utility corridor and cautiously ascending the array of plumbing pipes and electrical conduits. After making the climb and reaching the top, each inmate carefully perched himself so as to have a clear view of the entryway, with the intention of eliminating as many officers as possible. The inmates probably considered this as the most strategic platform from which to monitor all the activities of the a.s.sault teams that were sure to come. The cellhouse had descended into an eerie quiet. The sirens had stopped wailing, and the ringing phones had finally gone still. Most of the inmates had returned to their cells, and the noise level had flattened into a dead silence, broken occasionally by the screech of a pa.s.sing seagull.

It was approximately 2:45 p.m., and Lieutenant Phil Bergen was enjoying a quiet day off with his wife on the mainland, while his two daughters were still in school. By now, news of the Alcatraz "blast out" was spreading around San Francisco, with most of the facts terribly exaggerated by the newscasters. When Bergen heard the news, he immediately found a phone and contacted Cliff Fish in the Armory. Fish stated that there was little information that had been confirmed, but that they could identify one of the attempted escapees as Bernie Coy. They also knew that Bernie was armed with a .30-06 Springfield, which he had somehow managed to seize from Bert Burch in the gun gallery. Fish further explained that he and his colleagues had been unable to contact any of the officers within the cellhouse, with the exception of Stucker in the bas.e.m.e.nt and the hospital officer, who hadn't been aware that there were problems downstairs. Bergen immediately reported to Pier #4 at Fort Mason, where Coast Guard cutters were standing by to carry off-duty officers who were reporting back to the island.

As the reserve officers reported for duty, they were immediately readied and posted at various points around the prison. Prior to Bergen's arrival, two officers had been sent to take up positions in the East Gun Gallery, and Officers Harold P. St.i.tesand Joe Maxell had been posted to the west side. But as soon as the two officers attempted to enter the west end of the gallery, they were immediately faced with a barrage of gunfire and were forced back out. They did however manage to fire off a few rounds, and to throw two tear gas grenades through the gallery bars and onto the cellhouse floor. It was evident that they would be unable to enter without sending in an a.s.sault team to do battle with the inmates, and to take the gallery by force.

Correctional Officer Harold P. St.i.tes who was tragically killed by friendly fire in the West Gun Gallery in D-Block.

By the time the 3:45 p.m. launch arrived at the island, the boat had transported enough officers to begin the slow process of moving the inmates who were still secured in the Industries up to the recreation yard. Prison officers organized supply details that helped to bring up several bales of blankets from the prison laundry. The recreation yard was set up to give as much shelter to the inmates as was possible under the circ.u.mstances. The San Francisco Chapter of the Red Cross, headed by Robert S. Elliot, was contacted for support. They started to put together supplies of sandwiches, coffee, water and cigarettes to serve to the inmates and the riot support personnel alike, since it was unclear when the guards would be able to regain control of the cellhouse and restore order. There were even some delicacies provided to the inmates, such as potato chips and filtered cigarettes. Federal agents were now beginning to arrive, and several men were a.s.signed to positions on the yard wall catwalk. They were instructed to keep a close eye on the recreation yard inmate population, and sharpshooters stood ready to suppress any gunfire that might originate from the kitchen areas.

The American Red Cross was enlisted to a.s.sist the families as they were slowly evacuated from the island.

Johnston quickly put together a planning conference with a.s.sociate Warden Miller and a few of the lieutenants. The group started a painstaking review of all the available officer counts, and all of the status updates from Officers Virgil Cochenour and John Mullen, who had been monitoring the activities in the cellhouse from their positions in the East End Gallery. Isaak Faulk, who was normally in charge of the tower officers, had set up headquarters with Officer Fish in the Armory. Lieutenant George Boatman offered his a.s.sistance in rescuing the captive officers, and started designating support a.s.signments to those just arriving. Ike Faulk was already aware that at least one of his tower officers had been injured, and with Boatman's a.s.sistance, he devised a plan for the Federal agents to provide cover while the prison officers climbed the towers to rescue their comrades. Hill Tower Officer Besk was found lying on the floor, and was quickly given first aid, having lost a large amount of blood.

Lieutenant Isaak Faulk Lieutenant George Boatman Warden Johnston's Secretary, Walter Bertrand With several vessels from the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the San Francisco Police now patrolling the waters, word was spreading that something very bad was unfolding on Alcatraz, so Johnston broke the twelve-year silence and decided to make a formal public announcement about the current events. Johnston and his Secretary, Walter Bertrand, stood in the Armory and started delivering the solemn news to the world. The first Teletype messages were sent to BOP Director James Bennett, the... B.I., and finally to Western Union, which would communicate the grave news to all of the press a.s.sociations in the following telegram: Serious Trouble... Convict has machine gun in cellhouse... Have issued riot call... Placed armed guards at strategic locations... Many of our officers are imprisoned in the cellhouse... Cannot tell extent of injuries suffered by our officers or amount of damage done... Will give you more information later in the day when we can control... J.A. Johnston, Warden, Alcatraz.

Formal planning was then initiated to discuss the rescue of the captive officers. Warden Johnston a.s.signed Lieutenants Phil Bergen and Frank Johnson to organize and lead the a.s.sault team. There were few updates coming from the officers now posted in the East Gallery, who reported only that there was virtually no activity on the cellhouse floor. The island's residents had started to take cover, and most had barricaded themselves inside their apartments. There were several others who secured themselves in the air-raid shelter, which had been established during World War II following the j.a.panese bombing raid on Pearl Harbor. Mutual aid plans had been initiated, and eleven correctional officers from McNeil and five from Leavenworth were boarding planes to San Francisco. Johnston had arranged to have them flown to Hamilton Field, and from there they were quickly driven to Sausalito and then transferred to Alcatraz by what the Warden termed as "crash boats. " Many of those who volunteered to come to San Francisco had worked on the island, and were familiar with the landscape and the posts.

As the Warden and the other men carefully worked through the formal anti-escape procedure manual, Bergen and Johnson chose their men and started plotting their entry into the West Gun Gallery. The situation quickly grew tense, as the East Gallery officers started firing shots at the silhouette of an inmate who was running across the floor with a rifle. As the sun started to set on the prison, Bergen and fellow officer Harry Cochrane met with a.s.sociate Warden Miller, pleading to be allowed to enter the cellhouse and begin the rescue of their fellow officers. Miller had been instructed by Johnston to refrain from entering the cellhouse until more reinforcements arrived. But Bergen was ready, and he firmly stated that if the hostages were still alive; they would be waiting for them to make a move. Bergen and Cochrane were a.s.signed the dangerous task of securing a ladder to the side of the cellhouse, so that they could report on any activity that was not visible to the officers in the East End Gallery. As Bergen ascended the ladder he carefully peered into the building, but could see only a dense haze of tear gas. No inmates were visible, and the cellhouse seemed abandoned. Bergen and Cochrane reported to a.s.sociate Warden Miller with this update.

Officers are seen here peering through the main cellblock portholes, attempting to observe the activities of the rioters.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. the first detachment of marines arrived from Treasure Island. They were equipped with a full a.r.s.enal of weaponry and they started manning the yard wall and a.s.sisting Alcatraz officers at various other posts. Bergen and Cochrane were summoned to the a.s.sociate Warden's office and informed that once all of the marines had received a.s.signments and reported to their posts, they would enter the cellhouse to rescue their fellow officers. There was, however, one change in plan. Johnston felt that it would be a better strategy to gain control of the West End Gallery first, and to have armed officers cover the team that entered the main floor of the prison. It was agreed that once Bergen and his armed a.s.sault team had taken control of the West Gallery they would be relieved by reserves, and then they would immediately enter the main cellhouse to perform the rescue.

Bergen, however, strongly voiced his opposition to this plan. He reasoned that his team could easily enter the main cellhouse using armed force, and quickly bring out the hostages. Bergen was adamant about not wasting time and following Johnston's orders, he decided to a.s.semble his team and have them briefed on the West Gallery entry pla