Probably no other era in American history has been more controversial than the prohibition period, extending from the middle 1920's through the early 1930's. As one of the law enforcement agencies charged with the suppression of the illegal liquor traffic, the United States Coast Guard was deeply involved in what has come to be known as "The Rum War." It was a hard, unremitting war with few of the rewards normally accompanying performance of such duty. Under the law, the Coast Guard had no alternative but to conduct it with zeal and dedication, utilizing all the resources at its command.
The story of the "Noble Experiment" is in large part a Coast Guard story. In this carefully researched, well documented history, students of this turbulent chapter of American history will find rewarding reading.
