Don Denevi

Alcatraz '46 Don Denevi

The book that became the basis for the television movie Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story starring Telly Savalas and Art Carney, Alcatraz '46 is the firsthand account of Lieutenant Phil Bergen and Clarence "the Chocktaw Kid" Joe Carnes as told to Don DeNevi regarding the infamous Battle for Alcatraz, the most dramatic event in the history of Alcatraz island. On May 2, 1946 Alcatraz inmate Bernard Coy used a bar spreader to widen the bars to the west gun gallery where he overpowered a guard and began passing out weapons to his accomplices Joe Carnes, "Dutch" Cretzer, and others. Within minutes, the inmates had captured multiple guards and were in control of the prison. In the hours and days that followed inmates and guards fought for control before finally the US Marines were sent in to regain the island. Alcatraz '46 recounts in vivid detail the most complete story as experienced by the primary living participants on both the guard and inmate side of the conflict. A classic must-have book on Alcatraz since its original publication in 1971, Alcatraz '46 is considered the definitive work on the subject and features more than five dozen rare photographs of Alcatraz.