Skill II MSO-471

Skill II
(MSO-471: dp. 720 (f.); 1. 172'; b. 36'; dr. 10', s. 15
k. (tl. ); cpl. 74 ; cl. Aggressive )

The second Skill (MSO-471), 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.

Skill conducted shakedown training off the Atlantic coast before reporting for duty with the Mine Force Atlantic Fleet, at Charleston, S.C., on 19 December 1955. During her 15 years of active service with the Navy, the minesweeper served with the Atlantic and 6th Fleets. She operated out of Charleston, S.C., throughout her career when not deployed to the Mediterranean. Skill operated with the 6th Fleet in the "middle sea" in 1966, 1957, 1958, 1960, and 1968. In late May 1968, during the return voyage from her last Mediterranean deployment, the MSO participated in the unsuccessful search for the nuclear submarine, Scorpio (SSN-589).

Skill spent all of 1969 around Charleston, S.C., 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, Tex. as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and remains there as of September 1974.