Alcatraz_ A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years - Michael Esslinger [175]
Directly across from the Mess Hall at the opposite end of the cellhouse, and located off the main entrance corridor, was the prison Armory. The Armory was considered the most secure part of the prison, and it was the center of communications as well. Situated across from the control room, it had a secure switchboard, and also contained the prison’s weapons reserves. The Armory could only be unlocked from the inside, and it was considered almost impossible to infiltrate. Encased in steel and bulletproof glass, the Armory was the operational nucleus of Alcatraz, and the vital hub for island activities and correctional officers’ posting status. It housed the prison’s arsenal, and its control center monitored the movements of anyone leaving or entering the cellblock. The Armory switchboard linked the telephones throughout the entire prison network for internal communications. There was also a special marine radio for prison launch communications, in addition to a short-wave transceiver, standard telephones, and a Teletype machine that could be used to wire messages to the mainland. In the event of a large-scale riot or takeover of the cellhouse, the integrity of the Armory could always be maintained.
An exterior view of the prison Armory as it appeared in 1946.
The Armory served as the weapons arsenal for the prison, and it was also the stronghold for all of the prison keys, as well as the communications center. The Armory Officer had the ability to lock himself inside the weapons vault, to which there was no possible outside access. The Armory was the impenetrable nerve center of Alcatraz.
The scene was set and the plans were finalized, and all that remained was for the signals to be given. The conspirators believed that they had thought of everything and had prepared for every eventuality – but through a sequence of unforeseen circumstances, their careful plans were destined to go terribly wrong.
The Battle of Alcatraz
The explosive sequence of events that would eventually come to be known as the Battle of Alcatraz began early on the morning of May 2, 1946, and would gradually build in a tragic crescendo over the next two days. During this period, numerous prisoners and guards we be wounded or lose their lives, and the reputation of the island prison would change forever. For the first time, inmates would secure weapons from the prison armory, and turn them against their guards with deadly force. When the smoke had settled and the dust had cleared, a new legend would have arisen from the rocky soil of Alcatraz.
On the morning of May 2, 1946, Marvin Hubbard was tending to his duties in the prison kitchen, which was his official work assignment. Although Arnold Kyle did not play an active role during the escape attempt, it is speculated that he was responsible for involving Hubbard in the plan, as he had been on the same work detail before being reassigned to a paid position in the laundry. At 6:30 a.m. Lieutenant Joe Simpson rang the first bell; waking the prisoners and allowing them time to enjoy a cigarette, make their beds, and prepare for their work assignments. The inmates assigned to the kitchen detail were always released from their cells a few hours earlier to prepare the food carts. At 6:50 a.m., Simpson sounded the second bell and the cell doors racked open with the powerful resonance of heavy steel. The inmates began to line up outside their respective cells, in preparation for their customary count and organized march to the Mess Hall.
At 7:00 a.m., Simpson rang the bell a third time. The inmates from the lower tiers of B and C Blocks