The Story Of The Only Men Who Escaped Alcatraz.

Take a look into the minds of the most unlikely geniuses of the 60s. Allen West, Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin join their heads together to create what is the most memorable prison escape in American history. Watch this video to find out how they beat the odds.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Alcatraz Prison
02:11 The Escapees
03:42 The Escape Plan
07:21 The Aftermath

You’ve probably seen or heard of great prison escape movies like Papillon, Prison Break, or my personal favourite, Shawshank Redemption. Another one is Escape from Alcatraz; but if you haven’t seen it, then it’s great that you’re watching this video for a brief history of the true events that the film is based on.

Escape from Alcatraz was done by Morris and the Anglins. And although that sounds like a rock album by an eighties UK boy band, it’s actually one of the biggest mysteries in American history with four criminals masterminding one of the greatest prison escapes. Let’s get into the story!

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was also known as the United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, and was widely regarded as escape-proof and the most secure prison in the country. Alcatraz is an Arabic word meaning, “The Rock” as it was built on an island just two kilometers off San Francisco, California.

The main prison was built from 1910 to 1912 as a military prison. However, the Federal Bureau of Prison took over the facility, tightened security, and by August of 1934, Alcatraz prison became the destination for America’s toughest criminals. Those who committed the most heinous of crimes, or those who had caused problems or attempted escape at other federal prisons. Notable members of Alcatraz include Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Creepy Karpis, and many more.

The prison was thought of as inescapable because of the level of security it had. In its first year, Uncle Sam’s Devil Island had two hundred and forty-two inmates and a hundred and fifty-five staff members. This gave it the lowest ratio of prisoners to guards in any American prison of the time.

Consequently, any attempt to escape in a belligerent manner would prove futile as it did on several occasions. Our escapees, however, were aware of this and took a different and ingenious approach.

But beyond the airtight security within the facility, other parts of the prison and the island were also secured with barb-wired twenty-five-foot fences and guard towers where escapees could be easily gunned down from.

It was mother nature that provided the most daunting task, however. Because for anyone that managed to make it shore, you had to make the swim from the island through chilly waters without dying from hypothermia or drowning. Houdini would have a tough time beating Alcatraz.

So, how did our escapees do it? Well, let’s meet them, shall we?

Check out these videos:

The Incredible Alcatraz Prison Break
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr4MSVxfYBE

Prisoner Who Escaped From Alcatraz Sends Letter To The FBI 50 Years Later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb0bFmWb7Ss

The Untold Truth About the Escape From Alcatraz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHMFEj3Lvyc

What It Was Like To Be An Inmate At Alcatraz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLXj3Mm-C-k