"Local man recalls time as World War II submarine officer" by Clark Mason in the Sept. 20th Cloverdale (Ca) Press-Democrat.
Bill Prigmore of Cloverdale turned 90 this week and recalled his service aboard the submarine USS Grouper during World War II.
In 1943, he was a junior grade lieutenant off the Japanese coast near the entrance to the naval station at Yokosuku when the Grouper encountered a five vessel convoy and attacked, getting credit for sinking three of them.
He watched as the ships sank and saw no survivors.
He had just graduated from the US Naval Academy and was "plotting officer." It was his job to trace the course and speed of enemy ships. He said, "Tankers were a prime target. They were supplying Japan with oil."
In 1941, the year before he joined the Grouper's crew, it had sunk the Japanese freighter Lisbon Maru. Later, they found out that the ship had been carrying British prisoners and over 800 of them died.
DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK
On several occasions, the submarine found itself the hunted. Prigmore remembered, "We were depth charged twice. It's something you never forget." The first indication of a depth charge is "a clicking noise." The explosion "felt like it was right next door."
During the conflict, Prigmore made five war patrols on the Grouper.
He remained in the Navy after the war and served during the Korean and Vietnam wars, retiring in 1966. He was executive officer on the submarine USS Green Fish and commander of the submarine USS Cobble.
The Greatest Generation. --Cooter
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