§ 1655
Assault on commander as piracy
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, being a seaman, lays violent hands upon his commander, to hinder and prevent his fighting in defense of his vessel or the goods intrusted to him, is a pirate, and shall be imprisoned for life.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 774 (PDF, 39 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a sailor to violently attack the ship's commander to stop them from defending the ship or its cargo. Such a sailor is a pirate.