Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay

During World War I and World War II, Rhode Island was dotted with coastal forts filled with large caliber guns. Yet they were never fired in anger. By contrast, from 1929 to 1933, during Prohibition, U.S. Coast Guard vessels frequently fired machine guns at rumrunners in Narragansett Bay. In December 1929, off Jamestown, machine gun fire killed three rumrunners on the notorious Black Duck. Despite the incident drawing national protests, the carnage continued. The Coast Guard fired machine guns at dozens more rumrunners in Rhode Island waters, killing another man, severely wounding two others, and causing several boats to explode or sink. Join author and historian Christian McBurney as he explores the use of excessive force in Narragansett Bay and other Rhode Island waters against crews that were mostly made up of local fishermen (many from immigrant families) trying to earn extra dollars and fulfill a strong demand for bootleg liquor. Join the author as he writes of stories never before told in his new book, Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay: The Coast Guard’s War on Rumrunners.

The Herreshoff Marine Museum's Annual Lecture Series features top authors, sailors, historians, and experts, offering insights amidst historic Herreshoff boats and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

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