What is "ship's company"

Ship \Ship\, n. [OE. ship, schip, AS. scip; akin to OFries. skip, OS. scip, D. schip, G. schiff, OHG. scif, Dan. skib, Sw. skeep, Icel. & Goth. skip; of unknown origin. Cf. Equip, Skiff, Skipper.]

1. Any large seagoing vessel.

   Like a stately ship . . . With all her bravery on, and tackle trim, Sails filled, and streamers waving.
   --Milton.

   Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
   --Longfellow.

2. Specifically, a vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts (a mainmast, a foremast, and a mizzenmast), each of which is composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast, and square-rigged on all masts. See Illustation in Appendix. [1913 Webster] l Port or Larboard Side; s Starboard Side; 1 Roundhouse or Deck House; 2 Tiller; 3 Grating; 4 Wheel; 5 Wheel Chains; 6 Binnacle; 7 Mizzenmast; 8 Skylight; 9 Capstan; 10 Mainmast; 11 Pumps; 12 Galley or Caboose; 13 Main Hatchway; 14 Windlass; 15 Foremast; 16 Fore Hatchway; 17 Bitts; 18 Bowsprit; 19 Head Rail; 20 Boomkins; 21 Catheads on Port Bow and Starboard Bow; 22 Fore Chains; 23 Main Chains; 24 Mizzen Chains; 25 Stern. [1913 Webster] 1 Fore Royal Stay; 2 Flying Jib Stay; 3 Fore Topgallant Stay;4 Jib Stay; 5 Fore Topmast Stays; 6 Fore Tacks; 8 Flying Martingale; 9 Martingale Stay, shackled to Dolphin Striker; 10 Jib Guys; 11 Jumper Guys; 12 Back Ropes; 13 Robstays; 14 Flying Jib Boom; 15 Flying Jib Footropes; 16 Jib Boom; 17 Jib Foottropes; 18 Bowsprit; 19 Fore Truck; 20 Fore Royal Mast; 21 Fore Royal Lift; 22 Fore Royal Yard; 23 Fore Royal Backstays; 24 Fore Royal Braces; 25 Fore Topgallant Mast and Rigging; 26 Fore Topgallant Lift; 27 Fore Topgallant Yard; 28 Fore Topgallant Backstays; 29 Fore Topgallant Braces; 30 Fore Topmast and Rigging; 31 Fore Topsail Lift; 32 Fore Topsail Yard; 33 Fore Topsail Footropes; 34 Fore Topsail Braces; 35 Fore Yard; 36 Fore Brace; 37 Fore Lift; 38 Fore Gaff; 39 Fore Trysail Vangs; 40 Fore Topmast Studding-sail Boom; 41 Foremast and Rigging; 42 Fore Topmast Backstays; 43 Fore Sheets; 44 Main Truck and Pennant; 45 Main Royal Mast and Backstay; 46 Main Royal Stay; 47 Main Royal Lift; 48 Main Royal Yard; 49 Main Royal Braces; 50 Main Topgallant Mast and Rigging; 51 Main Topgallant Lift; 52 Main Topgallant Backstays; 53 Main Topgallant Yard; 54 Main Topgallant Stay; 55 Main Topgallant Braces; 56 Main Topmast and Rigging; 57 Topsail Lift; 58 Topsail Yard; 59 Topsail Footropes; 60 Topsail Braces; 61 Topmast Stays; 62 Main Topgallant Studding-sail Boom; 63 Main Topmast Backstay; 64 Main Yard; 65 Main Footropes; 66 Mainmast and Rigging; 67 Main Lift; 68 Main Braces; 69 Main Tacks; 70 Main Sheets; 71 Main Trysail Gaff; 72 Main Trysail Vangs; 73 Main Stays; 74 Mizzen Truck; 75 Mizzen Royal Mast and Rigging; 76 Mizzen Royal Stay; 77 Mizzen Royal Lift; 78 Mizzen Royal Yard; 79 Mizzen Royal Braces; 80 Mizzen Topgallant Mast and Rigging; 81 Mizzen Topgallant Lift; 82 Mizzen Topgallant Backstays; 83 Mizzen Topgallant Braces; 84 Mizzen Topgallant Yard; 85 Mizzen Topgallant Stay; 86 Mizzen Topmast and Rigging; 87 Mizzen Topmast Stay; 88 Mizzen Topsail Lift; 89 Mizzen Topmast Backstays; 90 Mizzen Topsail Braces; 91 Mizzen Topsail Yard; 92 Mizzen Topsail Footropes; 93 Crossjack Yard; 94 Crossjack Footropes; 95 Crossjack Lift; 96 Crossjack Braces; 97 Mizzenmast and Rigging; 98 Mizzen Stay; 99 Spanker Gaff; 100 Peak Halyards; 101 Spanker Vangs; 102 Spanker Boom; 103 Spanker Boom Topping Lift; 104 Jacob's Ladder, or Stern Ladder; 105 Spanker Sheet; 106 Cutwater; 107 Starboard Bow; 108 Starboard Beam; 109 Water Line; 110 Starboard Quarter; 111 Rudder.

3. A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship) used to hold incense. [Obs.] --Tyndale. Armed ship, a private ship taken into the service of the government in time of war, and armed and equipped like a ship of war. [Eng.] --Brande & C. General ship. See under General. Ship biscuit, hard biscuit prepared for use on shipboard; -- called also ship bread. See Hardtack. Ship boy, a boy who serves in a ship. ``Seal up the ship boy's eyes.'' --Shak. Ship breaker, one who breaks up vessels when unfit for further use. Ship broker, a mercantile agent employed in buying and selling ships, procuring cargoes, etc., and generally in transacting the business of a ship or ships when in port. Ship canal, a canal suitable for the passage of seagoing vessels. Ship carpenter, a carpenter who works at shipbuilding; a shipwright. Ship chandler, one who deals in cordage, canvas, and other, furniture of vessels. Ship chandlery, the commodities in which a ship chandler deals; also, the business of a ship chandler. Ship fever (Med.), a form of typhus fever; -- called also putrid fever, jail fever, or hospital fever. Ship joiner, a joiner who works upon ships. Ship letter, a letter conveyed by a ship not a mail packet. Ship money (Eng. Hist.), an imposition formerly charged on the ports, towns, cities, boroughs, and counties, of England, for providing and furnishing certain ships for the king's service. The attempt made by Charles I. to revive and enforce this tax was resisted by John Hampden, and was one of the causes which led to the death of Charles. It was finally abolished. Ship of the line. See under Line. Ship pendulum, a pendulum hung amidships to show the extent of the rolling and pitching of a vessel. Ship railway.

   1. An inclined railway with a cradelike car, by means of which a ship may be drawn out of water, as for repairs.

   2. A railway arranged for the transportation of vessels overland between two water courses or harbors.

      Ship's company, the crew of a ship or other vessel.

      Ship's days, the days allowed a vessel for loading or unloading.

      Ship's husband. See under Husband.

      Ship's papers (Mar. Law), papers with which a vessel is required by law to be provided, and the production of which may be required on certain occasions. Among these papers are the register, passport or sea letter, charter party, bills of lading, invoice, log book, muster roll, bill of health, etc.
      --Bouvier.
      --Kent.

      To make ship, to embark in a ship or other vessel.

n. 1 (context nautical English) The entire crew of a ship, including the officers 2 (context nautical possibly nonstandard English) All of the occupants of a ship, including crew and passengers.

n. crew of a ship including the officers; the whole force or personnel of a ship [syn: company]

A ship's company comprises all officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel aboard a naval vessel. The size of the ship's company (the complement) is the number of people on board, excluding civilians and guests.

An exception to this rule is the definition of ship's company as it applies to U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps personnel assigned to aircraft-capable ships of the U.S. Navy, primarily aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.

In the case of aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy, the total ship's complement is divided into three categories:

(1) the ship's company physically assigned to the ship, and
(2) the carrier air wing, with its associated strike fighter, Marine fighter/attack, electronic attack, airborne early warning and helicopter squadrons, which is considered a separate "embarked" command, and
(3) the carrier strike group commander and staff, which is also considered an "embarked" command

The number of personnel assigned to the ship's company of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier averages 3,200 officers and personnel, while the associated carrier air wing has approximately 2,500 officers and personnel, and the embarked carrier strike group staff will average 25 to 30 officers and personnel. By law, the Commanding Officer ( CO) of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier must be either a Naval Aviator or a Naval Flight Officer in the rank of Captain. The carrier's Executive Officer ( XO) will also hold identical rank and aeronautical qualifications. Likewise, the Commander of the Carrier Air Wing...known by the nickname of "CAG"...will also be a Naval Aviator or a Naval Flight Officer in the rank of Captain, although the position of CAG could also be held by a Marine Corps Naval Aviator or Naval Flight Officer in the rank of Colonel. Similarly, the Deputy Carrier Air Wing Commander...known as the "DCAG"...will also hold the same rank and qualifications. Both the CO of the aircraft carrier and the CAG report to the embarked Rear Admiral who is the carrier strike group commander.

In the case of amphibious assault ships of the U.S. Navy, the total ship's complement is also divided into several categories:

(1) the ship's company physically assigned to the ship
(2) the embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), commanded by a Marine Corps Colonel, and consisting of a Marine Corps MEU Headquarters Group (MEU HQG) as the Command Element (CE), a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) as the Ground Combat Element (GCE), a composite Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (Reinforced), (VMM), (consisting of Marine Corps rotary-wing, tilt rotor and STOVL attack jet aircraft) as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE), and a Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) as the Logistics Combat Element (LCE).
(3) ancillary embarked units, such as a Tactical Air Control Squadron detachment and a Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron detachment
(4) an embarked Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Commodore and staff, and
(5) an embarked Amphibious Readiness Group (PHIBGRU) or Expeditionary Strike Group ( ESG) commander, typically a Navy Rear Admiral or a Marine Corps Brigadier General, and associated staff.

Commanding officer and executive officer positions aboard large amphibious assault ships are also assigned to Captains and alternate between a Naval Aviator or Naval Flight Officer in one position and a Surface Warfare Officer in the other.