USS Skill (MSO-471)

USS "Skill" (MSO-471) was an "Aggressive"-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of removing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships.

"Skill" was the second U.S. Navy vessel of that name. It was an ocean minesweeper, was laid down on 17 August 1953 under the designation, "AM-471"; redesignated "MSO-471" on 7 February 1955; launched on 3 April 1955; sponsored by Mrs. John C. Niedermair; and commissioned on 7 November 1955, Lt. Robert A. Latka in command.

Atlantic Ocean operations

"Skill" conducted shakedown training off the Atlantic coast before reporting for duty with the Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet, at Charleston, South Carolina, on 19 December 1955.

During her 15 years of active service with the Navy, the minesweeper served with the Atlantic and U.S. 6th Fleets. She operated out of Charleston, South Carolina, throughout her career when not deployed to the Mediterranean. "Skill" operated with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the "middle sea" in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, and 1968. "Skill" participated in the recovery effort of the Palomares Hydrogen Bombs Incident in early 1966. [Melson, June 1967, p.31] In late May 1968, during the return voyage from her last Mediterranean deployment, the "MSO-471" participated in the unsuccessful search for the nuclear submarine, USS|Scorpion|SSN-589.

Decommissioning

"Skill" spent all of 1969 around Charleston, South Carolina, and most of it at the Detyens Shipyard being repaired. "Skill" was finally decommissioned and placed in reserve in October 1970. She was berthed at Beaumont, Texas, as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and remained there as of September 1974.

Notes

References

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See also

* List of United States Navy ships
* Aggressive class minesweeper
* Minesweeper (ship)
* Minesweeping

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=mso_471 USS Skill (MSO 471) Crew List]
* [http://home.earthlink.net/~mso471/index.htm USS SKILL II MSO 471]
* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=201352 USS Skill - MSO 471 - Unit Pages]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/2170/ScrappedMSO.html Scrapped MSO's]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02459.htm NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Nimble (MSO 459) - ex-AM-459]