Ever notice how we’re all obsessed with the 1962 Alcatraz escape? Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers with their papier-mâché heads and makeshift raft have become the stuff of criminal legend. But here’s the thing – they weren’t the only ones ballsy enough to try breaking out of America’s most notorious prison. (I’ve spent way too many nights down this rabbit hole, much to Ryan’s dismay as I ramble about prison blueprints at 2 AM.)
The Rock: Not Just a Wrestler or That Movie
Alcatraz wasn’t nicknamed “The Rock” because it sounded cool. This fortress-like prison sat on a frigid island in San Francisco Bay, surrounded by currents that could drag a grown man under faster than you can say “terrible life decision.”
Between 1934 and 1963, a total of 36 men tried to escape in 14 separate attempts. Most of them failed spectacularly – which honestly makes for better storytelling than success. Because what’s more fascinating than watching someone’s meticulous plan fall apart? (Is that just me? Probably just me.)
The 1937 Attempts: Practice Makes… Prison Time
In April 1937, inmates Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe filed through window bars in the prison mat shop during a foggy day. Their timing seemed perfect – thick fog for cover, access to tools, and a plan to swim to freedom.
The problem? They disappeared into the bay and were never seen again. The prison officially listed them as “drowned while escaping,” but their bodies were never recovered, which is exactly the kind of detail that keeps me awake at night wondering.
Just months later, another attempt involved inmates trying to climb down the prison walls using improvised ropes. They didn’t even make it off the island before guards spotted them. Amateur hour, honestly.
The 1945 Laundry Escape: Dress for the Job You Want
This one’s my personal favorite because it’s just so audacious. An inmate named John Giles spent years gradually stealing pieces of an Army uniform from the prison laundry. (Talk about playing the long game – I can’t even stick to a diet for three days.)
After assembling a complete uniform, he casually walked onto a military boat at the dock. He almost made it, too! The boat was already heading to San Francisco when guards realized he was missing and radioed the boat to return to Alcatraz.
So close yet so far – the story of my dating life and this guy’s escape attempt.
The 1946 “Battle of Alcatraz”: When Things Got Bloody
Not all escape attempts were clever or funny. The 1946 attempt, known as the “Battle of Alcatraz,” turned deadly when six inmates overpowered officers, stole keys, and took hostages.
Their plan fell apart when they couldn’t get the yard door key. What followed was a two-day standoff with guards and eventually Marines. When it ended, three inmates and two guards were dead. Three inmates faced the death penalty for their roles.
This is why I always say planning is everything. (And why I have seventeen contingency plans for the zombie apocalypse.)
Why Did These Attempts Fail When the 1962 One Might Have Succeeded?
The famous 1962 escape stands apart for three key reasons:
1. Meticulous planning: Morris and the Anglins spent months preparing, creating tools from spoons and testing their raft design.
2. Teamwork: Four inmates working together (though Allen West couldn’t escape his cell in time) meant more hands and brains on the problem.
3. Innovation: Those dummy heads with real human hair? Genius level deception that bought them crucial hours.
The official Alcatraz records state that no inmate successfully escaped and lived. But the 1962 escape attempt remains officially unsolved, with the FBI closing their case in 1979. (Though between us, I’m convinced at least one of them made it. The Christmas card allegedly received by the Anglin family years later? Too juicy to ignore.)
The Lessons: What These Forgotten Tales Tell Us
These failed attempts reveal something fascinating about human nature. Even in America’s most secure prison – surrounded by freezing waters, watched by armed guards, isolated on an island – people still tried to escape. Repeatedly.
The human drive for freedom is stronger than concrete walls and prison bars. It’s why we’re still talking about these attempts decades later, and why I’m still checking my doors three times before bed despite living in the safest neighborhood in Canada.
Next time you’re binging a prison break documentary, remember – for every famous escape that captures our imagination, there are dozens of forgotten attempts that ended in failure, death, or mystery.
And isn’t that the most fascinating part of true crime? The stories that don’t get the Hollywood treatment, but still keep us wondering what really happened.
Now excuse me while I go triple-check my locks. (Old habits die hard.)