I must say that I'm pleased to see Commander King's passing marked with affection and respect on this forum. I'm one of those lucky enough to sail within sight of his home at Oranmore Castle, and can proudly count Bill King as a fellow club member at Galway Bay Sailing Club.
You may be happy to know that, up until very recently, Bill walked daily to the local shop; when I last queued behind him in the supermarket, he was explaining to the shop-girl that he was 98 years old - I'm not sure she believed him! Two years ago, he was the guest of honour at GBSC laying-up supper where he kindly signed some books for me and gave a good account of himself on the dancefloor. Just last summer, Bill was out sailing on Galway Bay with some friends of mine.
It goes without saying that Bill King is a constant inspiration to all of us who sail in Galway Bay. He would be a hero even had he never set foot on Galway Blazer. His accounts of submarine warfare in the North Sea and China Sea are mind boggling, not least because the chances of surviving to command his boat through the entire war must have been hopelessly remote. I thoroughly recommend seeking out a copy of Dive and Attack, or Adventure in Depth which recounts the story of his circumnavigation in Galway Blazer II.