On 17 January 1920, Prohibition was instituted by law in the United States.
Soon, the smuggling of alcoholic beverages along the coastlines of the United States became widespread and blatant.
The Treasury Department eventually determined that the United States Coast Guard simply did not have the ships to constitute a successful patrol.
To cope with the problem, President Calvin Coolidge in 1924 authorized the transfer from the Navy to the Coast Guard of twenty old destroyers that were in reserve and out of commission.
Wainwright was activated and acquired by the Coast Guard on 2 April 1926, as part of a second group of five to augment the original twenty.

Wainwright moved to Boston on 22 May and remained there until 27 July when she got underway for the Connecticut coast.
She reached New London, two days later; and, on the 30th, she was commissioned by the Coast Guard.
The warship retained her name while serving with the Coast Guard's "Rum Patrol" to suppress the illegal importation of alcoholic beverages.
She served at New London from the summer of 1926 until 1929.
On 4 January 1929, she headed south to Charleston, South Carolina, whence she conducted gunnery practice until 4 February when she returned north to Boston.
In January 1930, she headed south again for gunnery practice but this time at St. Petersburg, Florida.
During each of the two succeeding years—in January 1931 and late in March 1932—she returned to St. Petersburg for a month of target practice and afterward resumed her duties along the New England coast.

In May 1933, her permanent duty station was changed to New York, and she reported there at the end of the first week in June.
After a summer of normal operations, the warship began target practice at Hampton Roads, on 7 September.
On 17 January 1920, Prohibition was instituted by law in the United States. Soon, the smuggling of alcoholic beverages along the coastlines of the United States became widespread and blatant. The Treasury Department eventually determined that the United States Coast Guard simply did not have the ships to constitute a successful patrol. To cope with the problem, President Calvin Coolidge in 1924 authorized the transfer from the Navy to the Coast Guard of twenty old destroyers that were in reserve and out of commission. Wainwright was activated and acquired by the Coast Guard on 2 April 1926, as part of a second group of five to augment the original twenty.
Wainwright moved to Boston on 22 May and remained there until 27 July when she got underway for the Connecticut coast. She reached New London, two days later; and, on the 30th, she was commissioned by the Coast Guard. The warship retained her name while serving with the Coast Guard's "Rum Patrol" to suppress the illegal importation of alcoholic beverages. She served at New London from the summer of 1926 until 1929. On 4 January 1929, she headed south to Charleston, South Carolina, whence she conducted gunnery practice until 4 February when she returned north to Boston. In January 1930, she headed south again for gunnery practice but this time at St. Petersburg, Florida. During each of the two succeeding years—in January 1931 and late in March 1932—she returned to St. Petersburg for a month of target practice and afterward resumed her duties along the New England coast.
In May 1933, her permanent duty station was changed to New York, and she reported there at the end of the first week in June. After a summer of normal operations, the warship began target practice at Hampton Roads, on 7 September.
USS Wainwright (DD-62)