Officer killed at Pearl Harbor identified

Sailor killed during Pearl Harbor attack identified as upstate New York man

 

Gave the writer a pass on "sailor" when referring to an officer because in some contexts it is correct usage . . .

but . . .

"The boat capsized . . ." BOAT? A battleship is a "boat"?? God save us from journalists!

 

It's on the internet - it must be true!

 

Does it count if you move your ship under the boat, and then pick it up? Asking for a friend....

 

In other words does a large floating dry dock make almost anything else a boat if it qualifies as a ship? I think that's a case of "reducto absurdium" (sp?) Or perhaps the exception that proves the rule.

 

And the particular dry dock, ABSD-1, is a sectional drydock, so it's 10 barges sans steroids.

 

Ships are commissioned vessels, boats are not; with the exception of submarines, which are actually ships but called boats. Ships are listed on the Naval Register, boats are not. Then you have certain yard craft and such, which may actually fly a commissioning pennant, but reside in that nebulous area between ships and boats or craft.

 

More guidelines than rules...The deciding factor appears to be displacement. If a vessel displacement is 500 tons or more, it is commissioned, less than 500, it is "placed in service."

 

Which might explain why so many USN reports of enemy ships sunk or damaged specifically use the phrase "over 500 tons" when presenting figures.