Table Of ContentINTELLIGENCE
IN THE RUM WAR
AT SEA, 1920-1933
by LT Eric S. Ensign, USCG
With an Introduction by
Admiral Robert E. Kramek, USCG (Ret.)
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, 1994-1998
INTELLIGENCE IN THE RUM
WAR AT SEA, 1920-1933
Fated by Russell. Season
Commandant, United Sten Coan (ord et)
Jolnt \ititary tmetigence College
‘The Joint Miltary Intelligence College supports and encourages research on
Intelligence issues that distil lessons and improves support to policy-level and
‘operational consumers.
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INTELLIGENCE IN THE RUM
WAR AT SEA, 1920-1933
Contents
Irsradoton, by Adm Reber E. Keach.
[Chaps 1. The Coast Gua and the Onset of Pebiition
‘Soope of the Problem cing te Cost Guard
(Coast Guurd Orsanizaton athe Beeining oft Rure War.
(Chuper 2 sing to the Occasion: nicl Mesures vo Combut tie
ur Rumnes
‘Coast Guu Zhlagenteat Mcagh Vessel Acquisidon and Reeitwea
Gir Mewutes 0 En the Seo,
“Tae Eectveness of Early Etfors Against Rum-Ruaning
(Chaps 3 Inligense Asa Forse Mlipior
(Oxgnization and Lars Operucon of th Coes Guard Inligence Seton,
‘bvoltsn nf incelisesce Disciplines Witin tne Coss Gta,
Inset Azerey Cooperation ta Inligene String.
Alsou nel sence Suporte Hes
(Chapter 4. Rum-Runpes' Use of Intlgenie und Coumtenseligence
Ivaigence Colston Again te Cx hed,
(Ghuitsrimel gone Tactin al econ To ie,
(Chaps 8. The Con Gert’ Coumtrreligence Stay
(Ozentons Sevurcy Meusuos ane Tei Efetvenes
(Coreuniatons Secure Mesures nd The: Liestivenss,
Chop, The Coast Chan ad dhe Fad of Potton
‘Goos CiurCpratons nthe Wang Yeas,
Appen
iting ay
8
thors bogey st
Biogeaply of ADM Rober E Kian, oe
List of Figures
‘gure 1, Rum-Running Spedbet 3
gue 2. Destroyers Comered foe Coast Guard Use a
pe The 25 Deseo 10
Sed 7S Pail Rots (Sion) "
‘gue 5. 125-Lot Stel Hull Purol Boats "
igue6. Cons Gant Pek os e
Sree end Cin 13
gue 8. Doubling the Latised Foss 4
me 9. Consolidated Fapons? Communications Sytem 28
ine 17S" Peale ME Ray Diet Fe 30
jure 11, Sanpete Kum-Ruring Submarine au
nce 13. The Coat Gua’ Fst Apne 35
lg 14 Hack Loca Hise on tle, 2
Teme 1. Selig Phasutions ith Moan Phases 4
Figie 15. Nav Opsrtons Chae baie a ode Ves Psion 8
INTRODUCTION
“Te “sono hstey” are mpi in forming the sat, polly and in
tpn cr naira ert, The lesson eed om hee a nigece inthe
‘Run War a Sea ar lly apliabe std Wagon Deg. Oeste peat
tho deigs at reach ou Toedoe eaiguate ow souce ccucs tht ely on mite
stougaling ts. The sles of ialiganc owe muluplie a the Dog Wae like hs
‘hel the the forthe Kom War, capn be werstmut SH, ess lesson id
tobe kamed unc in fs Pru Wor tn ligerce waa Factor inapresimatly Bi
‘Goa peecat of dep iterdiueas By 1998 i as te ese Tater espnsile for ose
ipuyfive yeron! fll editors is isa ning to ow ta toak ever a dee
(e somitas the Inteligense Communi. as wal as othe esponsible gents at al
Seacrest re pr cnet eine es
ageicy cooper, al-sousce iligccs, coun iatligence oeitonl seu, co
‘huis socurtyawel y HUMINT, COMINT cn Inngry-—tavs dist ples
to's kine cetia peins, b hs ep,i ok a eu pise Te
Mary ofthe challenges att dh se falls itligence fr hone ton
porns ate aly agave Tn peeatine, bs interdasion isthe espe
‘onic ages Invent i sow mca police pein” i pie ithe
epimers er icy at The phon ge bene
som eons esis tn domestic ci tte "non-tneri ares pli
Asa neu othe an foes. the U.S Cast Ca, with domes pice power has
‘ound salt nw igue poston wus llssuveilgense and led lrccton ellen,
Ini inertia onoe de Dru sr epesert me huaded peat of be Drug Adin
‘teatro enced ofthe US. Cos Sevie ast erent ofthe Cs
hunt’ budget, and one arr of ne poet of te Departmen of Defers xe, The
Toit brergency Task aves (ATF should wily fe called dnt Ween “el
zune” Ths unos lf nlligenve Kem ll sous, forall wien. Ths nelligense
Drdst fs become to eaten weapon i the peteten sf cur border td un nese
ee pers tlkons of dolla athe cost of wes ara opens.
ocala the kat Militar Ietlgens Cage nesting eae neipense person
ein Tot” envinnmers, making em egnizant othe sso ef isn ad he vale
inline in roving or nna ners This opponent as rode tot
‘meaty aosorplsh hs eeah ee mpl is alae sel work,
)
Pps ff
santa llsusucd.
Pera eet ae
ieee reat
Chapter 1
THE COAST GUARD AND THE ONSET OF PROHIBITION
AL might or 16 Janswry 192) Ameicu oli went dy, Unaiilly t never
lied up. As Aricu ben its noble experimen wth Poisiton no ope cul uve fre
‘een the ragiid of ieglliquer "portation, leans to rampant opeerts st. over
tment eerapor. a gunz erie, Peoncion mae he Reding Iwenes ra Anis
rive and callanging time the Coast Gusnd cams of wg, asthe mii serie takod
‘rl sopping the cuboene low of legal ior Fusing toe monumental sk of detencing
the Au, Pate, Gt of Mesico and Great Las shorelines, te Cost Gace cured
tointlignce io brdge th eapuligesgupPetwoenwellogomied eagles wd under
escured law eafrsment Anum cust tht appears not wo ave bee ese is
“Whatrle dhe nell ese elle: playin sombtirs sate operas”
Dervng pan desnssited Ceos sl Inline Missa sn he Nien
foerad he hackhone of ona Ci pera ts "Ram We San Heshows hoe
through x cencaried ff to inet poration Bisel om ilipence, the Coot Guard
tervihle to oksinarl runtsn dant hatespocs knoe (99K) the um
Cnlorcement agency Ip suntan on ¢ fete level nf deere to heuer smuggling
Thin snesyfal mriage cf islligence end operations wo a medal af iegeaey
‘operation in applying imeligens ea pevbler atonal intrest At the conclusion
‘hrs enexcenon tate ted Gre wali, losing he Cana aed
1S PK tis advange defeating eerie oe
‘SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM FACING THE COAST GUARD
“The Volstead Ack passed snove the Tis Arendt oaialy sled mie's
popular reso ve ey we. bough it cullsved the anuloce. sa, an rasp
tion of alto it mide no provisions agaist buying of driakng alcool! The isk
revking the lu mans h te sells. As Ames this for alcohol ese 0 did tbs
runs of hove wing to supply. Blunokctrng sa! inorting wool mmedinely
cue «very lacus Pune. va though many mdsiduals reson to dsiling
alco fer themselves, legal» sequiing aloo! meant tee medicinal unl sisious pur
Posts, oc axtacinz algoto fom other preparations he pnp de i eel ch
‘cured fyough tt immoration of tregn ale! ite the U.S. by seu ewes agaist
ths game plana the Cosst Guard waged an ureeneag campaign Wo eee, omer
append. and suppor the peostuson those whe sma weabol on tne MS
Aste demand fr sleainl ineeased,Fneign dss wee oa wo happy lanspend
in essence teking over fe Averisan Tqusr indus? Ta Geet i, cowesic Hou
Ses wor ssagiag eed Pri ow pene He doo ee he exportation of Bets eae
Tei rowa eolnns ia the Westra Hemi. athe Balanss aloe, Tejon
Fiot CietFrisin rose fon 27.127 gsllensin 1918 to 867.940 pals (921 the 0
225 million gallons in 1922 The Tiga ws then ld tose app is eps
ize cvime yids ho “impo iinet U.S. This sive eatin was eee
for the Batis own colo of Belize and the Frech islands af Sant iene and Mique
loa, vated of tho cout of Newfoundland. Europe and Canaliea liquor pe lato
these eujosts, whore it was wai sed avitng earsabipnenc io fe US, Vercsof ll
types and opis called on thew lead, wacaforming gui, iuolaed wns wo ome
thing Tike Amevicen misiag sottemeas) ia the dass oft gold cs Ta lta 0
Coast Gauid Conmundat Fessiick C. Bild? the AaiSaloen Leagae of Amsice
rspostad He vu «S500 milios was capocted to be smugled ut the US. in
sng tse the po oop $0 soneang Amma, logh arg,
Derr ew Nr sory apa, Gs Soho a Ae te Seen New Yor
‘Mio Wilsugy: CDR USCRIT) an Marat Seu Wasa, DC: CPO, 162.
* Weleoss 23
Ret Adal Hild the Coast Gul Concha 1921 832 dig te ain
Cost Gat tft suf Pah iat. His pss as Rear Aa Retold Comsat
linn 919 to 1821 abs sucenr as Rene Adel Hane cane Coca it
1925 aa he Cot us unt 13
1924" atte sume time, Gommandaot Billard hime indicated chs bythe sunene> of
1934, some 290 ves iaeluding searners and aling vestels, were sly insoved Sa
the mei.
“The close promt of lund suc the Bena an St, Fore wn Miguel othe
WS, Adunic eousine ected aldioaalpeoBlems for enforce fa 1920, US, Leal
Iam ser etendd only to tse miles frm shoe, mkng he sea o anno
US. Hagged vessel opecuing outside thu mit ouside she junslicioa ef the Cou.
‘Gucrd, "The Britsh goverment urd «liad eve to Americar Probibioa, an inthe
‘Bahumus and in Bsize this compounded the poblew as “aes peton of he) Amer
‘an smuggling Hest tas ow sing trom (British) em eoloies. with a care a
Seorh whshey. ner the prscetion ofthe Brdsh ibe" By the summer of 1921,
‘etal Rute Row” had boca estiblised of the Nev Jersey ad New York cols, wes
Tovegr-apaod ram summers supp! with liquor om tae Bahsmst, Ucis, ead Sl
‘ree ane Miquelon Wate Ue piso she for Amercan oni oss come ot
and parca tei liqucecatzes."” This was in gun stand ma to the chascn of
‘Americaneaforcment oli, By the end of 1921, a as 20 known ese ma thet
home alone Run Rowe”
Figure 1. Rum-Running Speedboat
Sou US, es Qua Seostone
stotoaay net Cua Hata fen,
Wahnge, 30 ore 12
‘Waste B_ Woes Gn Coun te Aa-Sion Laps of Ane ero Coa
bey odo eau for be upon asee was "Cun Suk ted by Bay Bas, Lauer
igh io Basen Puss Soin 28
Soi
* Wiley 23,
* waaay 2
‘Wile many larger vessels forma the foundason of the Amseun “rum cet” erly
rumumnigg opparunits also employee solr yess inclulice speesrou’, some
‘apuble of exeseding 40 kao. 1 nut Cast Gus dense," Publis seniment 2
Frohidon wis ambialent,o evidenesd by some murine engine comnts giving way
[ree mchne gums an neendive for would-be im rts to parva ther engines. ° It
ras lavles: end dangerous time. Liquor was stu
oss ofthe slonererforceneatyesels andthe aumber of smugeline vests involve in
the rurn wade Was tails incresing.” By 1924, liquor was onering the U.S. om seu
rot only sia Rum Row, ste Bobi. and St. Pls aod Miquslo, but ls ror Camu,
athe Great Lakes, rom Meso via te Pei eutne a the Gul of Mei and
trom Cubs nd the West ladies ithe Soh! US." The LS. ws ander sige by
umercun uni foreigr opparuniss deers ash iron Prosbion
COAST GUARD ORGANZATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RUM WAR
Although the Coost Gused would evenly become te sal U.S. apetey changed
wit enticing the Prion Iams tsa, enfencemeat ia te fst few yee of Desi
tio wae conte gui by ott lw enferentet cfs wh dhe lp of 1,500
fedetl agents from do Tecssey Dopatmen's cv etablsed Busca of Prolbiton.”
From 192010 1923, tho Coss Gus, alo Falling unde tho Teesues Depa sa the
sfegseunst of thy Pobibiia lon as analy dat, suberdinctet ie pinay ti
Sow of such ead vee. cooing, rhibiten saa elied only ineldctlly and
nen wo au emphasis Ua ay oli: Const Gua mission. But by 1923 it wos © et
‘nscica adn iaegion of aiding by is senypse ban on abe Iwas also ct
ihe Coast Guard woul! se cowed to ply gleadiog clei he sugpession of Hauer
suggling io he US. by Se
As te Hof figuor conus ost joel issues ose bec the Chas
Guns the Custos Sei, andthe Fst Proiidn Duveat. Ts Cou Gua sa
Folibioneafecensut as u Customs Sesice wespanniiiy. whereas Cusons eed
"Lew Tey Pri Aen Ba of Pin, ee Cel,
Sura Wilh 22
