Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60
§8171 Continuation of Authority After Loss of Vessel or Aircraft
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle C— Navy and Marine Corps › Part II— PERSONNEL › Chapter 821— OFFICERS IN COMMAND › § 8171
Summary
Officers keep their full command and authority if their ship or aircraft is wrecked, lost, or destroyed and the crew are separated from it. That authority continues until the crew are discharged or reassigned.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §8171
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If the crew of any naval vessel or naval aircraft are separated from their vessel or aircraft because of its wreck, loss, or destruction, all the command and authority given to the officers of the vessel or aircraft remain in full force until the crew are discharged or reassigned.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 595134 U.S.C. 264.
May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 7(a), 64 Stat. 145. The word “officers” is substituted for the word “officer” since the cited subsection of the Act of
May 5, 1950, was intended to reenact the substance of Article 21 of the Articles for the Government of the Navy (R.S. 1624; 34 U.S.C. 1200), in which the word “officers” was used. The words “regularly” and “by competent authority” are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5951 of this title as this section.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of
Amendments
and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 8171
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60