Alcatraz History

09/01/2026

Born on September 1, 1926, in Washington, D.C., Frank Lee Morris marks his centennial milestone on September 1, 2026 - presumed either dead in the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay or having pulled off the most famous prison disappearance in American history. Orphaned by age 11 and entangled in crime from his youth, Morris was known for an exceptionally sharp mind, testing in the top 2% of the prison population with an estimated IQ of 133. After repeated escapes from other institutions, he arrived at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in January 1960 as inmate AZ-1441.

On the night of June 11, 1962, Morris helped orchestrate one of the most meticulously planned prison breaks of the 20th century alongside brothers John and Clarence Anglin. Using sharpened spoons, a vacuum cleaner motor converted into an improvised drill, and papier-mâché dummy heads detailed with real human hair to fool the night guards, the trio squeezed through widened ventilation shafts into an unmonitored utility corridor. They scaled a ventilation shaft to the roof, descended external pipes, and inflated a makeshift raft crafted from over 50 stolen raincoats before disappearing into the fog-shrouded bay.

While the FBI closed its formal investigation (Operation NORPAC) in 1979 after finding no definitive proof of survival, they concluded the men likely drowned in the treacherous currents, the U.S. Marshals Service took over the case the same year and continued investigating leads up into 2026. With the centennial of Frank's birth, his portion of the case will official close. The U.S. Marshals maintains an active open case until every suspect turns 99 or is proven deceased.

Whether Morris perished that stormy June night or lived out a quiet second life in obscurity, his centennial underscores an enduring legacy: the man who along with the Anglin brothers, outsmarted "The Rock" and helped inspire decades of folklore, literature, and film. Happy Birthday, Frankie!

09/01/2026

Frank Lee Morris, one of the principal conspirators in the 1962 Great Escape from Alcatraz is born on this date (September 1, 1926). His fate remains unknown and is still a fugitive and wanted by the FBI.

A video short celebrating Frank's 100th!

On September 1, 1926, Frank Lee Morris was born—today would mark hi...

08/28/2026

August 28, 1942: Jim Quillen (AZ-586) arrived on Alcatraz from USP McNeil Island. Quillen was serving a 45-year sentence for kidnapping and violation of the Dyer Act - a 1919 law passed to stop the interstate trafficking of stolen vehicles. While at McNeil Island, he had been caught with several steak knives intended for an escape attempt. Years after his release, he turned his life around and penned the gripping memoir: Inside Alcatraz: The Hard Years (the title has changed with various editions).

📸: AH | BOP | SF Chronicle | M. Esslinger

08/26/2026

The opposite side of the escape cell wall (from the previous post and corresponding photograph). Now rusted away, the prongs and steel plate were inserted after the escape to block the opening. These cells were never occupied again after the 1962 Alcatraz escape.

📸: AH

08/26/2026

A modern view inside the Alcatraz B-Block utility corridor, showing the maze of pipes (many now disintegrated) used to climb to the cellblock roof area during the famed 1962 Alcatraz escape. This photo was taken looking down toward Frank Morris's and Allen West's cells.

📸: AH

08/24/2026

A mid-2000s-era view from the Alcatraz Recreation Yard bleachers, looking out toward the Golden Gate Bridge.

📸: AH

08/23/2026

Robert Schibline (AZ-1355) was born on this date, August 23, 1931.

Bob was serving a 15-year sentence for armed bank robbery when he arrived at Alcatraz in June 1958. In his own words: "I was accused of being a ringleader and an 'Enforcer' in a strike, and got picked up along with twenty-two others."

After his release in 1965, Bob built a respectable and rewarding life. He opened his own dive shop, Neptune’s Dive Center, spent his final years in Florida, and generously shared his memories with all of us here in this forum.

On this date in 2021, Bob's family and friends gathered on Alcatraz to celebrate his life and his inspiring journey of redemption. A portion of his ashes was scattered in the garden on the west side of the island, overlooking the peaceful waters of the San Francisco Bay.

For me, Bob will always be one of the greatest voices of this incredible history...

08/22/2026

In the early morning hours of August 22, 1934 - three and a half days after departing USP Atlanta - the second contingent of 53 inmates arrived at Alcatraz. Among this notorious group was Al Capone.

Having traveled over 2,400 miles across the country, their secure railcars were loaded directly onto a barge to minimize escape risks and ferried across the San Francisco Bay. From the moment he stepped ashore, Capone attempted to test the system. Warden James A. Johnston, who customarily greeted new arrivals during intake orientation, later wrote that he had no trouble spotting the gangster in the lineup. Capone stood grinning, muttering smug remarks out of the side of his mouth.

When it came time to face the warden, Capone adopted the role of spokesman, asking questions on behalf of the group to show off for the other men. Johnston cut him off immediately, assigned him his inmate number (AZ-85), and ordered him back into line. Throughout his sentence, Capone repeatedly lobbied for special privileges, but Johnston firmly denied every request, insisting that the mob boss would follow the exact same rules as every other prisoner.

Capone eventually conceded defeat, famously remarking, "It seems like I’m responsible for every crime that takes place in this country... It looks like Alcatraz has got me licked."

📸: AH | AP | NARA | SFPL

08/21/2026

A modern-era photograph of D-Block showing the open hatchway to the basement dungeon. It is rare to see this access point open, captured here during after-hours seismic work that was being performed beneath the cellhouse.

📸: AH

08/20/2026

On Alcatraz, one of the few moments when prisoners could feel a fleeting sense of freedom came in the recreation yard. From the concrete bleachers along the south side of the yard, men could sit in silence or casual conversation, their eyes fixed on the distant Golden Gate Bridge. For many, the view was both a torment and a reminder of the life they had lost, the bustling city of San Francisco lay just over a mile away, tantalizingly close, yet utterly unreachable. The sight of cars crossing the span, the shifting fog, and the glint of the sun on the Bay offered a cruel contrast to the cold stone walls surrounding them.

These bleacher seats became a gathering place on weekends, when prisoners were allowed precious hours outside. Some played baseball or handball on the yard’s hard surface, while others lingered in the bleachers, watching the bridge and the city as if they were spectators to a world that had gone on without them. The Golden Gate, a symbol of freedom and modern engineering, became a quiet obsession for many prisoners, a line on the horizon that reminded them daily of liberty just out of reach. For some, the view inspired hope; for others, it was a constant reminder of their confinement on the “Rock.”