USS Skirmish (AM-303) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II. She received four battle stars during World War II. She was decommissioned in December 1945 and placed in reserve. In February 1955, while still in reserve, her hull number was changed from AM-303 to MSF-303, but she was not reactivated. She was transferred to the Dominican Republic in January 1965 and renamed Separación (BM455). She was employed as a patrol vessel in Dominican Navy service and renamed Prestol Botello in 1976. Her pennant number was changed from BM454 to C454 during a 1995 refit. , Prestol Botello remained in active service for the Dominican Navy. U.S. Navy service Skirmish was laid down on 8 April 1943 by Associated Shipbuilders of Harbor Island, Seattle, Washington; launched on 16 August 1943; and commissioned on 30 June 1944. After completing fitting out and trials in the Seattle area and shakedown and anti-submarine warfare training out of San Pedro, California, and San Diego, California, respectively, Skirmish departed the west coast on 2 September 1944. The minesweeper escorted a convoy to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, arriving on 9 September. After 20 days of minesweeping and antisubmarine drills in the Hawaiian Islands, Skirmish stood out of Pearl Harbor to escort USS Boreas (AF-8) to Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The two ships arrived on 12 October, and Skirmish departed the next day to return to Pearl Harbor. Upon her return, on 20 October, she resumed training exercise around Oahu until 3 November when she formed up with a San Francisco-bound convoy. She stayed in San Francisco for a week from 14 to 21 November, visited Los Angeles, California, from the 21st to the 23d, and returned to Pearl Harbor on 3 December. On 12 December, Comdr. L. F. Freeburghouse broke his pennant in Skirmish, and she became the flagship of the Commander, Mine Squadron 12. Following a yard overhaul and more exercises Skirmish departed the Hawaiian Islands on 22 January 1945 in the screen of another Eniwetok-bound convoy, arriving on 4 February. This time she did not return to Pearl Harbor. Instead, she departed Eniwetok the next day in company with a large contingent of landing craft, escort ships, and minesweepers. Sailing by way of Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas, Skirmish arrived off Iwo Jima, in the Volcano Islands, on 16 February. For the next three days, she and the