Ships
- USS Conway (DD-507) Captain, 9 October 1942 – 16 October 1943
Nathaniel Scudder Prime was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on 25 May 1904. His home was Yonkers, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1926 and served through the peacetime years as a line officer. He was promoted to lieutenant on 30 June 1936 and to lieutenant commander on 1 April 1941. On 15 August 1942 he received the temporary rank of commander.
His wartime command was the new Fletcher-class destroyer Conway (DD-507). Bath Iron Works built her in Maine, and she was commissioned on 9 October 1942 with Prime as her first captain. After fitting out, Conway left Norfolk on 5 December 1942 for the South Pacific. She reached Nouméa and Efate on 13 January 1943 and joined the forces still covering Guadalcanal.
On 27 January Conway sailed with a force sent to meet Japanese ships that were taking troops off Guadalcanal. During the night of 29–30 January that force came under heavy air attack in the Battle of Rennell Island. Conway shot down several Japanese aircraft and took aboard survivors of the heavy cruiser Chicago. Through February she patrolled between Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal. From 4 to 6 March she joined a bombardment of the Vila-Stanmore shore and a sweep for shipping in Kula Gulf. From 10 March she worked out of Efate on patrol and training.
The summer of 1943 carried Conway into the New Georgia campaign. She left Efate on 15 June to support the landings on Rendova, escorting supply ships, and remained with the operation as the fighting turned on Munda, shelling targets on Kolombangara and at Munda. On 15 August she screened Task Unit 31.5.3 off Barakoma, on Vella Lavella, while tank landing ships unloaded. Japanese aircraft struck three times in daylight and again through a long night. By day Conway’s guns helped break up the planes that got past the fighter cover. By night she helped lay smoke that spoiled the bombing runs, and she maneuvered clear of bombs aimed at her. Prime’s conduct of the ship in those attacks brought him the Silver Star.
On 1 August 1943, while he was still in Conway, Prime was given the temporary rank of captain. He stayed her captain until 16 October 1943, a full year from the day he had commissioned her and taken her into the Solomons. He retired from the Navy as a rear admiral. He died on 18 April 1961.