USS Castine (PG-6)

USS "Castine" (PG-6) was gunboat in the United States Navy. She was the first Navy ship named for Castine, Maine.

"Castine" was launched 11 May 1892 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Miss M. Hichborn; commissioned 22 October 1894, Commander Thomas Perry in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.

Assigned to the South Atlantic, "Castine" cleared New England waters in February 1895. She called at the Azores and Gibraltar, passed through the Suez Canal, visited Zanzibar and Mozambique, and rounded Cape of Good Hope before arriving on station at Pernambuco, Brazil, 13 October 1895. She cruised in South American and West Indian waters save for an overhaul period in Norfolk, Virginia until March 1898.

Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, "Castine" was called north to take her place on the blockade surrounding Cuba in March 1898. She served in the force which accompanied the Army's transports to Cuba, and remained in the Caribbean until the close of the war.

In December 1898 "Castine" sailed from Boston, Massachusetts for the Suez Canal on her way to the Far East. Upon her arrival in the Philippine Islands, she began duty in coordination with the Army to put down the insurrection following the Spanish-American War. Operating primarily in the southern islands, she supervised the evacuation of the Spanish garrison at Zamboanga in May 1899. With a cruise to Chinese ports in 1900, "Castine" remained in the Far East until June 1901 when she cleared for the Suez Canal and the east coast.

"Castine" was out of commission at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 8 October 1901 and 12 November 1903. Upon recommissioning she saw duty in the South Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean, and from 23 September 1905 to 4 October 1908 was again out of commission, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

From October 1908 until May 1913, "Castine" served as a submarine tender at east coast bases, then returned to the Caribbean until July 1917. She later cruised off Vera Cruz and Tampico.

On 5 August 1917, "Castine" sailed to join the Patrol Force at Gibraltar, where she served until 21 December 1918. She returned to the United States, and was decommissioned at New Orleans, Louisiana 28 August 1919. "Castine" was sold 5 August 1921.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c4/castine-i.htm