Skink, a 50-foot motor boat, was built at Neponset, Massachusetts, in 1917 for a civilian owner, with the probable intent to make her available to the Navy as a patrol craft. She was commissioned as USS Skink (SP-605) in mid-June 1917, even before the Navy formally acquired her. She served on patrol duties in the Boston area from then until shortly after the Armistice and was decommissioned in late November 1918. Skink was returned to her owner in February 1919.
This page features our only views of the motor boat Skink, which served as USS Skink (SP-605) in 1917-1919.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 102223 Skink (U.S. motor boat, 1917) Probably photographed shortly before she was taken over by the Navy. She was commissioned on 13 June 1917 as USS Skink (SP-605) and was returned to her owner on 24 February 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 525 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 102224 Skink (U.S. motor boat, 1917) Underway, probably shortly before she was taken over by the Navy. She was commissioned on 13 June 1917 as USS Skink (SP-605) and was returned to her owner on 24 February 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 525 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 45268 USS Moosehead (ID # 2047) (left) In Lockwood's Basin, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1918, with four patrol boats at right. The latter are (from outboard): USS Kiowa (SP-711), USS Skink (SP-605), USS Whistler (SP-784) and USS Lynx II (SP-730). Photographed by Alton M. Blackinton, Boston. This image forms the right half of a panorama with Photo # NH 45269. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 435 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 42284 Lockwood's Basin, Boston, Massachusetts Section Patrol boat base at Lockwood's Basin, circa 1918, with USS Moosehead (ID # 2047) alongside the pier in the right background. Among the patrol boats present is USS Skink (SP-605), in the left foreground. Note Sailor sentry at the extreme right. Photographed by Alton M. Blackinton, Boston. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 42147 Lockwood's Basin, Boston, Massachusetts View of the basin looking down the pier, taken by Alton M. Blackinton, Boston, circa 1918, showing USS Moosehead (ID # 2047) in the center and section patrol boats. USS Alacrity (SP-206) is at the far left. The patrol boats in the left center foreground are (from left to right): USS Kiowa (SP-711); USS Skink (SP-605); unidentified; USS Whistler (SP-785); and USS Lynx II (SP-730). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 42145 Lockwood's Basin, Boston, Massachusetts View of the basin from on board USS Moosehead (ID # 2047), taken by Alton M. Blackinton, Boston, circa 1918, showing the marine railway, Carpenter's Shop and General Headquarters. Four section patrol boats are tied up in the foreground, just beyond Moosehead's bow. They are (from left to right): USS Lynx II (SP-730); USS Whistler (SP-785); unidentified; and USS Skink (SP-605). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
![]() |
Note: The Ships' Histories Branch of the Naval Historical
Center holds another photograph of the motor boat Skink,
taken from off her starboard side while she was underway, probably
shortly before she was taken over by the Navy. She appears to
be painted grey overall. |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 31 December 2001
New images added 19 May 2002