My Dad was one of the Marines that fought there. The unit of Marines there were from the guard detachment from the Marine Fleet Headquarters in San Francisco. The detachment was made up of Marine combat Veterans, most of the Marine Scouts, and Snipers, like My Dad was. He told a few stories about what he remembered about the fight, but what made Him mad about it is that He fought the Japanese in two island campaigns, only to come Home to get shot at, and may be killed by convicts. I have more on this if You want to contact Me. I like the channel, keep it going.
I can understand the feeling he had. A war zone is either a white or black world. It is obviously quite friendly or you can tell something is awry. In the States it is either white or grey and the grey could kill you.
In grade school I went there on a field trip in the late 70's. What I remember most about that trip was when on the boat going there, one of the girls in my class was hit squarely in the back, between the shoulders by a massive seagull dropping. The girls standing to either side of her were hit by the side splatter. Alctraz was cool too.
I grew up in San Francisco and remember dodging the seagulls and the pigeons. Back in the 50's and 60' you had to watch out for the dog poop (shit), now they tell me you have to dodge the people poop (shit). I'm glad I left in 71.
Inrecall as a kid, i toured Alcatraz on a school trip, in one of the areas, you could still see scarring on the concrete floor from the grenade shrapnel.
Stumbled across this channel the other day and have been binge watching ever since. Wish history class in school was this informative. Keep up the good work!✨
Yep. Welcome aboard. This is most definitely one of the best historical story channels on TH-cam. The History Guy can tell a great story. A ripping good yarn if you will.
interesting timing for an Alcatraz episode. Just read a news story this morning that they've discovered a Civil War era tunnels and fortifications underneath the prison complex. I definitely would like to hear more about that find and if any Civil War history deserving to be remembered took place there.
Yes. Even here, in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was hearing yesterday, that they found a Civil War Fort under the prison. Thing is, that isn't news. They have always known that the prison was built on top of a fort. It is one of the facts that is mentioned on the tour of the prison. And, every time Alcatraz is brought up in a history book The fact of the fort is referenced.
@@diverdownaaron It was strong suspicion yet unproven that it was built on a fort. While often quoted as being the case, there lacked evidence to confirm it. Just recently they found evidence of the tunnels and remains beneath. www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-us-canada-47475564
Alcatraz was more than just a prison. It was originally a lighthouse location and an Army fort designed, along with two other forts built on the points of the Golden Gate, to protect San Francisco Bay from ships looking to attack SF and Oakland. It was also an Army prison used during the Civil War until 1933 when it became the Alcatraz we all know. There really is a lot of history there. Amazon lists many books of both fiction and truth on Alcatraz.
Love your videos! Since you've asked for ideas... The Alcatraz Occupation of November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971 Certainly a piece of history that deserves to be remembered!
I absolutely adore this series. Extremely informative while still engaging and interesting. A seemingly endless supply of knowledge and history. Not to mention his style! Class act, all the way. This man deserves to be on national tv so millions can learn some history the best way possible, from The History Guy!
Health Guru Jack LaLanne swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf while wearing handcuffs. He accomplished this feat twice. His later crossing was in 1974 at the age of 60.
Absolutely, it's a fascinating story. I lived in SF in 68, and there was talk on the street about people quietly living there at the time. It was pretty much just rumor, not big news, but generally believed to be true, because "why not?". That was the period in San Francisco that ... well, you know the term "Summer of Love"? This was Autumn.
@@shaggybreeks I was living in the Bay Area then and it became the most drawn out police action in history.It started out with the Red Power movement, a mostly native American group of Berkeley students with communist leanings as a way to start seizing property that they thought they could claim belonged to them, even though there was no evidence native Americans ever occupied the island for the same reason the occupation finally wound down -there was no water on the island. As the occupation dragged out hippies, street people, and assorted criminals and drug addicts were getting ferried over every weekend by sympathetic boat owners. The numbers grew from 89 to over 400. Women were getting raped, people were being robbed, and a general sense of lawlessness prevailed. It was a good example of why anarchy won't work. One of the leaders, Richard Oakes, had his 13 year old daughter fall to her death from a wall in early 1970. This was the beginning of many of the original occupiers. Many of the Red Power students, showed their commitment by leaving with the excuse they didn't want to flunk out of Berkeley. The vast majority of occupiers were then just street people and drug addicts. The few native Americans left got into intertribal battles that sometimes ended in bloodshed It still took another year and a half before the Feds finally decided to end it in June, 1971 after an arson fire destroyed a large number structures. By then, only 15 people remained to be removed by a force of 300 federal officers. It was sad thing and should never have been allowed to go on as long as it did, but it was a poster child of how the country was descending into anarchy at the time.
Very interesting about Alcatraz. just saw a rather pathetic interview with s descendant of Al Capone. The lady saying her family was not guilty of any crimes just loyal citizens. It was laughable. She talked about sitting in Capines old cell to commune with him I guess. .
Back in 1994 my wife and I took the tour of Alcatraz. The prison walls and the ceiling in the main facility known as Broadway still had blast damage from grenades and explosive used
My granddad was in an Engineer unit getting holdouts out of tunnels in the Phillipines. One of the men wrote a book about the experience. Said a liberal amount of gasoline pumped into the caves made them come out real quick.
Shawn R By the time Philippines was liberated, the Allied forces had things figured out. Fire kills without burning the enemy soldiers, it asphyxiates them by using the oxygen in the caves/tunnels/bunkers.
@@shawnr771 my dad said a flame-thrower short blast into the tunnel did it: they either burned to death or suffocated, as the fire took up all the oxygen. there's still hundreds of skeletons in tunnels on Tinnian and Saipan (big japanese tourist draw, looking for family remains).
@@matthewf1979 asphyxiation is supppsed to be a relatively painless way to die. Of coarse theres really no painless way to die so "painless" is relative
I've always wondered why the legendary inescapable prison was closed down half a century ago. You answered in one sentence. That's why you're the best, History Guy!
I had an opportunity to visit Alcatraz some years ago and was told this story by one of the park rangers there. It was fascinating to hear the story especially at the scene where it happened, some of the bullet holes and damage from the hand grenades were still present at the site, even the bent bars in the overhead gallery. The park ranger did an outstanding job of bringing the story to life. Thank you history guy for retelling it here!
Great dtory. There is a current as in yesterday news report about Alcatraz. It had been a military post called Alcatraz citadel. Used as a defensive point for San Francisco Bay. The fort structures had been basically covered over to create the prison. Using ground penetrating radar and some other techniques they have located numerous under ground tunnels and structures of the old citadel.
Who could thumbs down this? A sad story of how desperate things can get. You sure cover a wide range of our past. Every thing from - The good ,bad and ugly.
Photos of the prisoners are very compelling. Most look sad and empty, a few look angry. Excellent presentation as always. Thank you for your exceptional work.
I live in the SF Bay Area and have been to Alcatraz several times. Even in its poor condition the amount of concrete and steel is so overwhelming and depressing. I found it difficult atmosphere to be in for an hour, I cannot imagine how the guards managed to work in such a place let alone be a prisoner. My favorite part of the tour were the remains of the Warden’s garden, in the Spring many colorful flowers still bloomed.
MysteryFan I understand that, but Alcatraz was built for the worst and the atmosphere effects me so much, I doubt I will ever visit again. There are better things to do and see in SF.
My great uncle's father, an Englishman, was the architect who designed the fortress on Alcatraz that preceded (and to some degree was incorporated into) the prison.
As I understand it, Robert Stroud aka 'The Birdman of Alcatraz' who was a highly psychotic and dangerous individual, did something unusual (for him anyway). When the Marines started tossing grenades through the windows, Stroud left his cell, grabbed a couple of mattresses, ran to the lower tier, covered the guards with the mattresses, then ran back up to his own cell where he remained for the rest of the conflict. I'd be interested to know if this actually happened.
The hostages had been removed before the Marines started throwing grenades. But the prisoners on D block were cowering in their cells with little protection as guards and marines fired machine guns, tear gas and hand grenades. Stroud was purported to have left his cell (the escapees had opened all of D Block) to close some of the solitary doors to protect those prisoners, and yelled up to guards that the escapees had left D-block, sparing the prisoners of D-block more fire. Although none of the prisoners was injured, it is possible that he saved lives by telling the guards that the escapees had retreated to another part of the prison.
I had the opportunity to work on Alcatraz back around 2010, the electrical company I worked for installed a solar panel array on the roof of the cell house, We had full range of the island and access to all the buildings as we got there at 530 in the am on the first ferry, and tourists and island staff don’t show up till 8 or 9.. I got to explore the old fort underneath the cell house as well as the lesser known tunnels under the recreation yard and water tower. We ran conduit from the roof of the prison all the way down to the old electric plant via civil war era tunnels.. Also we were in and out of the actual cell house and on several occasions I would visit the actual C wing utility corridor where these guys killed themselves.. I wanted to see if there was ghosts or just scare myself, and would turn off the flashlight and wait, tried this in the hospital and morgue as well... never had any contact with a spirit, Coolest project I ever got to work on
So happy to see more california/SF history. Too many people here don't know anything about my home state. Please consider looking into the story of "Big" Alma Spreckels, she brought art and culture to SF.
Timely video, after hearing the news about the recent discovery of the tunnels and ammo magazines underneath the prison this is definitely at a forefront of history nerd news. Thanks, as always, for the interesting video History Guy.
Alcatraz was actually a military fort before being turned into a prison. New ground penetrating radar and other technology has located tunnels and other fortifications from the Old Fort. It would be interesting for you to do a video on its use as a fort. Thanks for another great video.
I think this is the first video from you that I’ve actually known most of the details in it. One of my friends is related to the Shockley from Alcatraz (he was his great uncle). It’s nice to hear the official story with all the details.
Hey History Guy, I've been tp Alcatraz 8 times I have a few pictures of ghostly anomalies and scratches. From those visits. Approaching it you get an ominous feeling overwhelming you. It's a feeling that you can't easily shake! You are
My kids have always loved to tell their friends mom and dad met in prison. When their friends would ask us about it we would truthfully assure them it was. I was a RN and he was a correctional officer. We are both retired but still like to hear prison lore. Our staff council sold T-shirts that had our logo printed on the front, it looked like the arm patches our officers wore and was printed above where the best pocket would have been. On the back, much larger and less discreetly, was a stylized but obvious prison cell. Underneath it was captioned "Limon Correctional Facility Bed and Breakfast". I found it very amusing and wore out several. I don't know where he found it, but my husband decided since I was so fond of our local funny that he would buy me an Alcatraz Swim Team one. Wore it out too. Anyway, I don't remember a lot of the particulars but one of the most interesting escape stories from the Colorado Department of Corrections was the successful helicopter escape. It really was quite a tale. It happened at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in I believe the 80's or early 90's. I thought you might want to check it out, it was a unique story and as my grandkids like to remind me those years are history now.
*Viewers interested reply here* This Channel Host deserves a Journalism, Production, Media and History Award. Viewers could come together to achieve this recognition. Interested parties reply here - I truly will endeavor this subject.
Thank you so much for sharing. I've recently found this channel and subscribed as well as several 👍. I've always loved history as a subject for learning and a topic of discussion. You have a great way of educating. A true gift for all and yourself.🍻
It was brave of the officer to hide the key but it also makes me wonder, if he gave them them the key and they successfully escaped, then he and the other officer would have lived. Hostage situations are very tricky
Your history narrative was very well done. I visited and agree. There were very extreme and in humane practices used there, which would certainly encouraged inmates to consider an escape attempt.
Awesome video about Alcatraz! A suggestion for a future video I just thought of is learning more about the zoot suit riots. If you hadn't done a video about it already. Love the channel.
Been there a couple of times. First time was on the yearly unscheduled Alumni day. Very interesting to say the least. And seeing the original scars from the battle added to the sad story.
One of my grandfather's was in the US Navy during World War 2. He ended the war serving on a wooden hulled minesweeper sweeping, among other places, Tokyo Bay. When he finally returned to the US in 1946, he was, of course, extremely eager to see his home again. However, when the small flotilla of Minesweepers and the oiler that had accompanied them back across the Pacific Ocean approached San Francisco Bay, they recieved a message on the radio. They had a new mission. Because of this escape attempt, they spent three days circling the island to ensure no prisoners escaped. They were, in the words of my grandfather "Close enough to the city to smell it." But were not allowed to visit until the end of the affair. Naturally, this engendered strong feelings in men who had spent several years at war and had not seen their homes in three to four years. It was their considered opinion that the best plan was to evacuate all the guards and let them shell the place for a few hours with their deck guns to "convince" the prisoners to surrender. Needless to say, that's not what happened.
It would be nice for another history guy lesson about Alcatraz. Another island nearby is angel island that is also known as the Ellis island of the west but has history back to the civil war.
I got to visit and tour Alcatraz a few years ago. The experience was so powerful. I've never been anywhere like it. I highly recommend it if you have the chance.
Would be interested to hear how the guard who slipped the key secretly off the key ring managed to do that (as I understand, he was the one who was "overpowered" -- can't envision how you'd do that while being beat up!)
man I really dig these posts. Gives me a quick dose of history. It's a shame you don't have more subscribers than those insipid so-called comedy channels run by millennial "influencers"
I went there about 10 years ago. The uprising/escape was covered in detail as you walked through the prison and saw where it happened, including the spall damage on the floor where the grenades were dropped. it’s an incredible place that gives you the willies when you think about the horrors that occurred there. Sadly due to neglect and the Indian occupation damage from fires it is crumbling into the sea.
I love your videos! And I was wondering if on March 27th you'd make a video on the Goliad massacre of the Texas Revolution. I'm a native Texan and it's often sad to see that almost no one remembers the massacre even though it was only a few weeks after the Alamo and is actually part of the famous battle cry. It was a massacre of over 400 Texan POWs by the Mexican forces at Goliad following the Battle of Coleto. It's a very sad thing that these people who were slaughtered are always forgotten with only the Alamao ever being remembered. I would love to see you help bring light to this and help honor those who were killed. This is just a suggestion however, and I will still love and watch your videos no matter what!
You could tell that as something else was added to the plan then that was something else which could go wrong. Had they thought what about what would happen if they ever got to the supply boat? It's not like the authorities would not be able to stop them. Thanks for the video, History Guy
It doesn't appear that they thought that far ahead. I think the hope was they would get there quickly before the prison was alerted and hijack it with the guns. That is, in fact, similar to how several of them had made their previous escapes.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel So the missed the point that they were now in the big league as far as escaping was concern. Not what you would can deep thinkers.
Great video. I grew up in SF, so great to hear the stories of “the rock.” Have you considered making a video about the ww2 battle for Itter Castle (May 5, ‘45)? A very unique moment at the end of the war.
Alcatraz translates as Pelican Island. The island used to be covered with them, but when the Spanish started building a fort there in the 1840s, they left. On the west side of San Francisco at the north end of Ocean Beach are some rocks just offshore called Seal Rocks. They were covered with sea lions. In 1989 the sea lions discovered the floating boat docks at the newly constructed Pier 39 in San Francisco. In a year the sea lions abandoned Seal Rocks for Pier 39. Then the sea gulls took over Seal Rocks. Now the pelicans have kicked the sea gulls off the island and they cover Seal Rocks. So after 150 years the California Brown Pelican once again flies over San Francisco Bay, all thanks to Pier 39.
The History Guy and his channel deserve to be remembered. 👍
Good one!
Is he okay? Is this the last video?
Sabrina T. yea im sure he is fine. lol i was just using his line to say how cool his channel is.
Indeed!
I like the way you think.
My Dad was one of the Marines that fought there. The unit of Marines there were from the guard detachment from the Marine Fleet Headquarters in San Francisco. The detachment was made up of Marine combat Veterans, most of the Marine Scouts, and Snipers, like My Dad was. He told a few stories about what he remembered about the fight, but what made Him mad about it is that He fought the Japanese in two island campaigns, only to come Home to get shot at, and may be killed by convicts. I have more on this if You want to contact Me.
I like the channel, keep it going.
Marvin was my uncle
Where can I contact you at? Im very interested.
Sub to My Channel, and leave Me a PM with a email, or a number.
@@Texaslobo I just subscribed to your channel.
I can understand the feeling he had. A war zone is either a white or black world. It is obviously quite friendly or you can tell something is awry. In the States it is either white or grey and the grey could kill you.
In grade school I went there on a field trip in the late 70's. What I remember most about that trip was when on the boat going there, one of the girls in my class was hit squarely in the back, between the shoulders by a massive seagull dropping. The girls standing to either side of her were hit by the side splatter. Alctraz was cool too.
I grew up in San Francisco and remember dodging the seagulls and the pigeons. Back in the 50's and 60' you had to watch out for the dog poop (shit), now they tell me you have to dodge the people poop (shit). I'm glad I left in 71.
😂😂😂
Inrecall as a kid, i toured Alcatraz on a school trip, in one of the areas, you could still see scarring on the concrete floor from the grenade shrapnel.
Hi, we went to Alcatraz a few months ago, and the scars from the grenades and rifle shots were clearly seen, .
@@sgtcrabfat awesome! I need to plan a trip back there again. Thanks!
Stumbled across this channel the other day and have been binge watching ever since. Wish history class in school was this informative. Keep up the good work!✨
Welcome to the club
You have found yourself in good company. Welcome.
Yep. Welcome aboard. This is most definitely one of the best historical story channels on TH-cam. The History Guy can tell a great story. A ripping good yarn if you will.
Be sure to tell your friends and family. Welcome. I have been watching since nearly the start and can't wait to see the next installment.
Watching it from Europe. Greetings to everyone
interesting timing for an Alcatraz episode. Just read a news story this morning that they've discovered a Civil War era tunnels and fortifications underneath the prison complex. I definitely would like to hear more about that find and if any Civil War history deserving to be remembered took place there.
Me too.
Yes. Even here, in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was hearing yesterday, that they found a Civil War Fort under the prison. Thing is, that isn't news. They have always known that the prison was built on top of a fort. It is one of the facts that is mentioned on the tour of the prison. And, every time Alcatraz is brought up in a history book The fact of the fort is referenced.
Great question.
@@diverdownaaron It was strong suspicion yet unproven that it was built on a fort. While often quoted as being the case, there lacked evidence to confirm it.
Just recently they found evidence of the tunnels and remains beneath. www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-us-canada-47475564
Alcatraz was more than just a prison. It was originally a lighthouse location and an Army fort designed, along with two other forts built on the points of the Golden Gate, to protect San Francisco Bay from ships looking to attack SF and Oakland. It was also an Army prison used during the Civil War until 1933 when it became the Alcatraz we all know. There really is a lot of history there. Amazon lists many books of both fiction and truth on Alcatraz.
Love your videos! Since you've asked for ideas...
The Alcatraz Occupation of November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971
Certainly a piece of history that deserves to be remembered!
I absolutely adore this series. Extremely informative while still engaging and interesting. A seemingly endless supply of knowledge and history. Not to mention his style! Class act, all the way. This man deserves to be on national tv so millions can learn some history the best way possible, from The History Guy!
Health Guru Jack LaLanne swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf while wearing handcuffs. He accomplished this feat twice. His later crossing was in 1974 at the age of 60.
Very interesting.
not so shark infested then? ;-)
@@shaneallen4501 fzzzziiiuuuuu inuillii ituuuu lookollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllluuuu
Amazing
@@shaneallen4501 Jack had two escort boats to deal with sharks.
The Occupation of Alcatraz from 1969 to 1971 might be another good Forgotten History segment.
Absolutely, it's a fascinating story. I lived in SF in 68, and there was talk on the street about people quietly living there at the time. It was pretty much just rumor, not big news, but generally believed to be true, because "why not?". That was the period in San Francisco that ... well, you know the term "Summer of Love"? This was Autumn.
Im surprised ive never actually heard of it.
@@shaggybreeks I was living in the Bay Area then and it became the most drawn out police action in history.It started out with the Red Power movement, a mostly native American group of Berkeley students with communist leanings as a way to start seizing property that they thought they could claim belonged to them, even though there was no evidence native Americans ever occupied the island for the same reason the occupation finally wound down -there was no water on the island. As the occupation dragged out hippies, street people, and assorted criminals and drug addicts were getting ferried over every weekend by sympathetic boat owners. The numbers grew from 89 to over 400. Women were getting raped, people were being robbed, and a general sense of lawlessness prevailed. It was a good example of why anarchy won't work.
One of the leaders, Richard Oakes, had his 13 year old daughter fall to her death from a wall in early 1970. This was the beginning of many of the original occupiers. Many of the Red Power students, showed their commitment by leaving with the excuse they didn't want to flunk out of Berkeley. The vast majority of occupiers were then just street people and drug addicts. The few native Americans left got into intertribal battles that sometimes ended in bloodshed It still took another year and a half before the Feds finally decided to end it in June, 1971 after an arson fire destroyed a large number structures. By then, only 15 people remained to be removed by a force of 300 federal officers. It was sad thing and should never have been allowed to go on as long as it did, but it was a poster child of how the country was descending into anarchy at the time.
Very interesting about Alcatraz. just saw a rather pathetic interview with s descendant of Al Capone. The lady saying her family was not guilty of any crimes just loyal citizens. It was laughable. She talked about sitting in Capines old cell to commune with him I guess. .
I believe if you look through THG's videos you will find one on that topic. Native Americans, yes?
Back in 1994 my wife and I took the tour of Alcatraz. The prison walls and the ceiling in the main facility known as Broadway still had blast damage from grenades and explosive used
“THREE BOXES OF RIFLE GRENADES AND 150 HAND GRENADES”
Yep, just like the tactics used fighting the Japanese in the Pacific.
My granddad was in an Engineer unit getting holdouts out of tunnels in the Phillipines. One of the men wrote a book about the experience. Said a liberal amount of gasoline pumped into the caves made them come out real quick.
Shawn R By the time Philippines was liberated, the Allied forces had things figured out. Fire kills without burning the enemy soldiers, it asphyxiates them by using the oxygen in the caves/tunnels/bunkers.
@@shawnr771 my dad said a flame-thrower short blast into the tunnel did it: they either burned to death or suffocated, as the fire took up all the oxygen. there's still hundreds of skeletons in tunnels on Tinnian and Saipan (big japanese tourist draw, looking for family remains).
@@matthewf1979 asphyxiation is supppsed to be a relatively painless way to die. Of coarse theres really no painless way to die so "painless" is relative
@@Legitpenguins99 nitrogen is painless
I've always wondered why the legendary inescapable prison was closed down half a century ago. You answered in one sentence. That's why you're the best, History Guy!
I had an opportunity to visit Alcatraz some years ago and was told this story by one of the park rangers there. It was fascinating to hear the story especially at the scene where it happened, some of the bullet holes and damage from the hand grenades were still present at the site, even the bent bars in the overhead gallery. The park ranger did an outstanding job of bringing the story to life. Thank you history guy for retelling it here!
Nice start for my day, look forward to your History that deserves to be remembered. Thanks
Great dtory.
There is a current as in yesterday news report about Alcatraz.
It had been a military post called Alcatraz citadel. Used as a defensive point for San Francisco Bay.
The fort structures had been basically covered over to create the prison.
Using ground penetrating radar and some other techniques they have located numerous under ground tunnels and structures of the old citadel.
Who could thumbs down this? A sad story of how desperate things can get. You sure cover a wide range of our past. Every thing from - The good ,bad and ugly.
Photos of the prisoners are very compelling. Most look sad and empty, a few look angry. Excellent presentation as always. Thank you for your exceptional work.
I live in the SF Bay Area and have been to Alcatraz several times. Even in its poor condition the amount of concrete and steel is so overwhelming and depressing. I found it difficult atmosphere to be in for an hour, I cannot imagine how the guards managed to work in such a place let alone be a prisoner. My favorite part of the tour were the remains of the Warden’s garden, in the Spring many colorful flowers still bloomed.
MysteryFan I understand that, but Alcatraz was built for the worst and the atmosphere effects me so much, I doubt I will ever visit again. There are better things to do and see in SF.
Thanks,THG, for this account of those desperadoes' attempt to flee Alcatraz. I really enjoy your well-researched and delivered narratives.
My great uncle's father, an Englishman, was the architect who designed the fortress on Alcatraz that preceded (and to some degree was incorporated into) the prison.
Gratitude & Respect Professor!!
Wasn't aware of that one either. Another precious snippet of history remembered. Thanks
It's official, I'm hooked. Can't let a day pass without a couple of your history snippets. Thanks again for the info. Hi to both History Guy & Girl.
As I understand it, Robert Stroud aka 'The Birdman of Alcatraz' who was a highly psychotic and dangerous individual, did something unusual (for him anyway). When the Marines started tossing grenades through the windows, Stroud left his cell, grabbed a couple of mattresses, ran to the lower tier, covered the guards with the mattresses, then ran back up to his own cell where he remained for the rest of the conflict.
I'd be interested to know if this actually happened.
The hostages had been removed before the Marines started throwing grenades. But the prisoners on D block were cowering in their cells with little protection as guards and marines fired machine guns, tear gas and hand grenades. Stroud was purported to have left his cell (the escapees had opened all of D Block) to close some of the solitary doors to protect those prisoners, and yelled up to guards that the escapees had left D-block, sparing the prisoners of D-block more fire. Although none of the prisoners was injured, it is possible that he saved lives by telling the guards that the escapees had retreated to another part of the prison.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel
Thank you for clearing this up!
This aspect of the battle is mentioned in the audio tour of Alcatraz and Jolene Babyak’s biography of Stroud, “Bird Man.”
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered:
"Although none of the prisoners were injured...."
There.Fixed it.You're welcome
None = not one.
None (also) = not any.
Thanks and thumbs up.
I really enjoy your channel.
Have a great weekend.
Another stellar informative episode # History Guy!!
As ever, excellent history lesson!
Well done, sir!
Well worth watching, again and again! Thank you History Guy!
I had the opportunity to work on Alcatraz back around 2010, the electrical company I worked for installed a solar panel array on the roof of the cell house,
We had full range of the island and access to all the buildings as we got there at 530 in the am on the first ferry, and tourists and island staff don’t show up till 8 or 9..
I got to explore the old fort underneath the cell house as well as the lesser known tunnels under the recreation yard and water tower. We ran conduit from the roof of the prison all the way down to the old electric plant via civil war era tunnels..
Also we were in and out of the actual cell house and on several occasions I would visit the actual C wing utility corridor where these guys killed themselves.. I wanted to see if there was ghosts or just scare myself, and would turn off the flashlight and wait, tried this in the hospital and morgue as well... never had any contact with a spirit,
Coolest project I ever got to work on
A fascinating piece of of our recent history... Keep up the great work!!!
Another great job HG !
Thank you. I enjoy your videos. Only watched a few but I've enjoyed all the ones I've seen.
Your style of delivery is even starting to capture my kids attention when I am playing videos! Well done sir!
So happy to see more california/SF history. Too many people here don't know anything about my home state.
Please consider looking into the story of "Big" Alma Spreckels, she brought art and culture to SF.
Timely video, after hearing the news about the recent discovery of the tunnels and ammo magazines underneath the prison this is definitely at a forefront of history nerd news. Thanks, as always, for the interesting video History Guy.
Alcatraz was actually a military fort before being turned into a prison. New ground penetrating radar and other technology has located tunnels and other fortifications from the Old Fort. It would be interesting for you to do a video on its use as a fort. Thanks for another great video.
@MysteryFan But BEFORE it was a prison, either for the military or for America's most notorious criminals, IT WAS A FORT.
I appreciate these videos so much. 🙌🏾
Great content, thank you, subbed, best wishes from Sussex, England.
Send in the Marines. From the halls of Montezuma to the isle of Alcatraz...
Not since Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story" has history been so entertaining.
I think this is the first video from you that I’ve actually known most of the details in it. One of my friends is related to the Shockley from Alcatraz (he was his great uncle). It’s nice to hear the official story with all the details.
Hey History Guy, I've been tp Alcatraz 8 times I have a few pictures of ghostly anomalies and scratches. From those visits. Approaching it you get an ominous feeling overwhelming you. It's a feeling that you can't easily shake! You are
Thumbs up for Hillsdale ads with wonderfully put together historical perspectives!
I’ve been watching lots of dif history videos on TH-cam and this channel has the best content.
My kids have always loved to tell their friends mom and dad met in prison. When their friends would ask us about it we would truthfully assure them it was. I was a RN and he was a correctional officer. We are both retired but still like to hear prison lore. Our staff council sold T-shirts that had our logo printed on the front, it looked like the arm patches our officers wore and was printed above where the best pocket would have been. On the back, much larger and less discreetly, was a stylized but obvious prison cell. Underneath it was captioned "Limon Correctional Facility Bed and Breakfast". I found it very amusing and wore out several. I don't know where he found it, but my husband decided since I was so fond of our local funny that he would buy me an Alcatraz Swim Team one. Wore it out too. Anyway, I don't remember a lot of the particulars but one of the most interesting escape stories from the Colorado Department of Corrections was the successful helicopter escape. It really was quite a tale. It happened at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in I believe the 80's or early 90's. I thought you might want to check it out, it was a unique story and as my grandkids like to remind me those years are history now.
*Viewers interested reply here*
This Channel Host deserves a Journalism, Production, Media and History Award.
Viewers could come together to achieve this recognition.
Interested parties reply here - I truly will endeavor this subject.
Absolutely! A fantastic presenter, on par with Sagan.
Totally agree
Another great story History Guy!
What a mess! Thank you once again.
Great job History Guy. This would be an excellent idea for a movie.
Don't know how I missed this video, it is very good. Love your channel! Hope you have a nice vacation.
This actually has potential to be a good 5-part miniseries
I have visited Alcatraz three times, worth it. Very interesting.
Great story. I look forward to all your videos. You and your team truly do an amazing and wonderful job of educating and entertaining. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for sharing. I've recently found this channel and subscribed as well as several 👍. I've always loved history as a subject for learning and a topic of discussion. You have a great way of educating. A true gift for all and yourself.🍻
Excellent, as always!
Love your videos! Pls make a video about the major events and atrocities of the Philippine-American war.
Another fine video my good sir!
Fantastic work, sir.
Great story, ironic ending... Alcatraz certainly has a lot of history; hoping to hear more! Thank you!
It was brave of the officer to hide the key but it also makes me wonder, if he gave them them the key and they successfully escaped, then he and the other officer would have lived. Hostage situations are very tricky
Your history narrative was very well done. I visited and agree. There were very extreme and in humane practices used there, which would certainly encouraged inmates to consider an escape attempt.
Another great video.
Thank you.
LOVE this channel. Thanks so much for all you do!
Sounds like you had a co-host for a bit there, heard a cute little 'meow'. :) Thank you for your interesting videos, as always!
Awesome video about Alcatraz! A suggestion for a future video I just thought of is learning more about the zoot suit riots. If you hadn't done a video about it already. Love the channel.
Great story History Guy!
Late to the channel. After more than 100 watched. ...this is the best. Runner ups are all the rest.
Been there a couple of times. First time was on the yearly unscheduled Alumni day. Very interesting to say the least. And seeing the original scars from the battle added to the sad story.
keep up the great work, awesome channel!
I was just reading about this yesterday, it’s a fascinating story.
Awesome video!!
Great video!!!
One of my grandfather's was in the US Navy during World War 2. He ended the war serving on a wooden hulled minesweeper sweeping, among other places, Tokyo Bay. When he finally returned to the US in 1946, he was, of course, extremely eager to see his home again. However, when the small flotilla of Minesweepers and the oiler that had accompanied them back across the Pacific Ocean approached San Francisco Bay, they recieved a message on the radio. They had a new mission. Because of this escape attempt, they spent three days circling the island to ensure no prisoners escaped. They were, in the words of my grandfather "Close enough to the city to smell it." But were not allowed to visit until the end of the affair. Naturally, this engendered strong feelings in men who had spent several years at war and had not seen their homes in three to four years. It was their considered opinion that the best plan was to evacuate all the guards and let them shell the place for a few hours with their deck guns to "convince" the prisoners to surrender. Needless to say, that's not what happened.
Finally, an episode I’m familiar with before watching!
My mom was 11 and living in San Francisco at the time, she told stories about hearing the gunfire and explosions during the escape attempt.
Hi, liked the video and your tie and handkerchief.
History guy, I much like your channel. Stay awesome,
This was awesome! Thanks for the video :)
Thanks again THG and again Bravo Zulu.
Alcatraz use to be a fort before it was a Prison ....Thanks very much.....Once again...An nice tie..toboot ....!
That I did not know. Thanks
It would be nice for another history guy lesson about Alcatraz. Another island nearby is angel island that is also known as the Ellis island of the west but has history back to the civil war.
Good morning from upstate NY!
mcw0530 me too....good morning!
Very informative episode, I enjoy everything you put out. You should do an episode about Alcatraz and the Native American squatters.
Thank you 👍
I got to visit and tour Alcatraz a few years ago. The experience was so powerful. I've never been anywhere like it. I highly recommend it if you have the chance.
Would be interested to hear how the guard who slipped the key secretly off the key ring managed to do that (as I understand, he was the one who was "overpowered" -- can't envision how you'd do that while being beat up!)
Everything I read said he had it in his pocket he did not slip it off the key ring.
Very interesting thank you
man I really dig these posts. Gives me a quick dose of history. It's a shame you don't have more subscribers than those insipid so-called comedy channels run by millennial "influencers"
I went there about 10 years ago. The uprising/escape was covered in detail as you walked through the prison and saw where it happened, including the spall damage on the floor where the grenades were dropped. it’s an incredible place that gives you the willies when you think about the horrors that occurred there. Sadly due to neglect and the Indian occupation damage from fires it is crumbling into the sea.
I love your videos! And I was wondering if on March 27th you'd make a video on the Goliad massacre of the Texas Revolution.
I'm a native Texan and it's often sad to see that almost no one remembers the massacre even though it was only a few weeks after the Alamo and is actually part of the famous battle cry. It was a massacre of over 400 Texan POWs by the Mexican forces at Goliad following the Battle of Coleto. It's a very sad thing that these people who were slaughtered are always forgotten with only the Alamao ever being remembered. I would love to see you help bring light to this and help honor those who were killed. This is just a suggestion however, and I will still love and watch your videos no matter what!
A few of those photos reminded me of the old cell blocks on McNeil island.
You could tell that as something else was added to the plan then that was something else which could go wrong. Had they thought what about what would happen if they ever got to the supply boat? It's not like the authorities would not be able to stop them.
Thanks for the video, History Guy
It doesn't appear that they thought that far ahead. I think the hope was they would get there quickly before the prison was alerted and hijack it with the guns. That is, in fact, similar to how several of them had made their previous escapes.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel So the missed the point that they were now in the big league as far as escaping was concern. Not what you would can deep thinkers.
I remember hearing that story on a visit there a few years ago.
The last ride of Casey Jones would be a Forgotten History segment.
Great video. I grew up in SF, so great to hear the stories of “the rock.” Have you considered making a video about the ww2 battle for Itter Castle (May 5, ‘45)? A very unique moment at the end of the war.
Great story. Thanks History Guy for the rock episode.
I've toured Alcatraz. You can still see the marks on the concrete floor from the hand grenades exploding during this battle.
One of my first projects, after arriving in SF, was as an extra on the film about this escape attempt, "Six Against the Rock".
David Conn Jonestown Resource: Unsung Davids by Ben Barrack / Pleasure Of Fiends by David Conn
Alcatraz translates as Pelican Island. The island used to be covered with them, but when the Spanish started building a fort there in the 1840s, they left. On the west side of San Francisco at the north end of Ocean Beach are some rocks just offshore called Seal Rocks. They were covered with sea lions. In 1989 the sea lions discovered the floating boat docks at the newly constructed Pier 39 in San Francisco. In a year the sea lions abandoned Seal Rocks for Pier 39. Then the sea gulls took over Seal Rocks. Now the pelicans have kicked the sea gulls off the island and they cover Seal Rocks. So after 150 years the California Brown Pelican once again flies over San Francisco Bay, all thanks to Pier 39.
Very interesting!!