Black gang (ship)

Coal dust adhered to the perspiration-drenched skin and clothing of men shoveling soft coal in the radiant heat of a hot boiler firebox.

The black gang are the members of a ship's crew who work in the fire room/engine room;<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> they are also called stokers or firemen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.Template:Cn

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