Black gang (ship)

The black gang are the members of a ship's crew who work in the fire room/engine room;[1] they are also called stokers or firemen.

[2] They are called "black" because of the soot and coal dust that is thick in the air in the fire room/engine room.

The term began being used in the days of coal-fired steamships.

The term is commonly used in the United States Coast Guard and United States Navy to describe personnel in "M" and "B" divisions.

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