Correctional Officer William A. Miller

William A. Miller

Correctional Officer William Miller and Correctional Officer Harold Stites were shot and killed during an attempted prison escape at Alcatraz Prison in California.

Several inmates were able to gain control of the prison's arsenal and took nine guards hostage, locking them in two separate cells. The prisoners demanded the prison keys, which were all turned over except for the one that allowed access to the outside. The guards were able to conceal that key in a toilet.

When the prisoners realized they were unable to escape, they began firing into the cells, wounding all of the officers. An assault team of other officers and United States Marines stormed the facility. During the ensuing battle, Officer Stites, a member of the rescue team, and six other officers were wounded.

Officer Miller was among the original nine hostages. He was repeatedly beaten as the prisoners requested the keys to exit the prison. He is credited with hiding the key and preventing the inmates from escaping. Officer Miller succumbed to his gunshot wounds the next day in the Marine Hospital. In all, 14 officers were wounded, and two were killed. Two of the inmates were also killed. Two others were later executed for the murders, and one other was sentenced to 99 years.

One of the two executed was serving time for the murder of Detective Lemuel Savage of the Amarillo Police Department, Texas. The suspect was convicted of a federal kidnapping charge related to Detective Savage's murder and was sent to Alcatraz Prison to serve the time.

Officer Miller had served with the United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons for five years and one year at Alcatraz Prison. He was survived by his wife, two children, and mother.