Robert Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz), made efforts to end the battle. At fifty-six years old, he climbed over the railing of the third tier and lowered himself to the second tier, then dropped onto the floor of D Block. In what seemed to be a valiant move, he started closing the front solid steel doors of the six isolation cells to protect the helpless men. Stroud yelled up to Bergen, explaining that there were no firearms in D Block and that those involved had retreated to another section of the prison. He made it clear that many innocent men would die if they continued to barrage them with gunfire.
After nearly 48 hours of battle, the gunfire ceased. In the violent aftermath, Cretzer, Coy, and Hubbard were killed in the corridor from bullet wounds and shrapnel. The mastermind Coy, was found dead wearing a guard uniform. One officer, William Miller, died from his injuries. A second officer, Harold Stites, was shot and killed during an attempt to regain control of the cell house. Thompson and Shockley were later executed together in the Gas Chamber at San Quentin for their role in the murder of Officer Miller, and Carnes received an additional 99-year sentence.
It would take months before the cellblocks returned to any normalcy and the scars on the cement and cell walls would remain strong reminders until the closure of the prison of the consequences of attempted escape.
Visit www.HistoryArchive.com/boa.mp3 or copy and paste this link to download a full feature vintage radio serial produced in 1946 depicting the events.
