Posted on 12/03/2021 7:59:36 AM PST by CheshireTheCat
On this date in 1948, Sam Shockley and Miran Edgar Thompson were gassed at San Quentin Prison for the failed prison break that led to the Battle of Alcatraz.
One of the bloodiest events to mar the history of that storied penal island, the “battle” began as an attempt by prisoners to break out of C and D Blocks and seize an an imminent afternoon prison ferry.
And like many prison breaks, preparations at once diligent, desperate, and ingenious were foiled by mischance … leaving only a hopeless, deadly shootout.
The revolt, which is narrated blow by blow here, began on May 2, 1946 in C Block, when two prisoners overpowered a guard. One of them, Bernard Coy — destined to die in the following days’ siege — had spent his last weeks on this earth fasting for this very moment: now, he disrobed and, with the help of a contraband bar-spreading gadget, squeezed his emaciated frame through some bars to gain access to a gallery connecting to D Block. The prisoners had the patrol patterns of the guards in the vicinity down to a “T”; the man walking this gallery was in his turn surprised and disarmed by Bernard Coy, who proceeded to lower the guard’s keys and a number of weapons to his accomplices.
Now armed, Coy was able to force his way into D Block where he released more prisoners from locked cells, including accomplices — and the eventual subjects of this day’s post — Shockley and Thompson.
So far, things couldn’t have gone much better. Only one obstacle remained: a locked door to access the yard that would take them to the Alcatraz launch and a rendezvous with their unsuspecting ride to freedom. And this, of course, is where it all went wrong....
(Excerpt) Read more at executedtoday.com ...
Was a good tactic.
There are still shrapnel marks on the concrete floor inside the prison where guards on the roof dropped a hand grenade down into a corridor. Alcatraz was, naturally, a depressing place, the only positive that I saw was the prison cafateria featured a pretty good menu.
Bkmk
now they use the rubber ball filled grenades.
San Quentin Bkmk
at leavenworth the inmates sued the food manager for over feeding them in the 80s
“Now this is something the other tour guides won’t tell you....”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah7mS9H_TOM
Later read
Were you a visitor or a ‘long term guest’ ... ?
No homeless, No smash and grab mobs. Just mansions and helipads.
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