Warrants and Smuggled Liquor

In 1923, the Coast Guard began building patrol boats to combat the widespread liquor smuggling that accompanied Prohibition. As these vessels entered service, the need for qualified personnel to man them increased significantly.

On June 16–17, 1924, examinations were conducted across the United States to appoint additional warrant officers as Boatswains. Many of those selected came from maritime academies, the Merchant Marine, and the U.S. Navy, particularly as the Navy reduced personnel following World War I.
At the time, all warrant appointments in the Coast Guard were temporary. According to LCDR John A. Heikel (Ret.), one of the early temporary Boatswain warrants—who later rose to the rank of lieutenant commander—this temporary status was “the sole cause of many ills that developed in the warrant ranks and the prime reason for the Warrant Officers Association coming into being.” Heikel later served as commanding officer of CGC AGASSIZ during and after its commission.
Some temporary warrants remained in that status for as long as 13 years, never certain whether they might be reduced in rank back to chief petty officer. In contrast, Navy warrant officers automatically advanced to chief warrant officer after six years of service as a warrant. In the Coast Guard, advancement to permanent or chief warrant status could be delayed for extended periods, sometimes influenced by personal conflicts with commanding officers.
This system created instability within the warrant ranks. Many early temporary appointees feared losing their rank before securing permanent status or advancing further. Over time, frustration and resentment grew between those who had attained permanent or chief warrant status and those who had not.
These conditions contributed significantly to the desire for organization and representation within the warrant officer corps.