William Alexander Ancrum

William Alexander Ancrum (July 8, 1881 – March 11, 1963) was a captain in the United States Navy who fought during the early 20th century in five separate wars during his career. He held numerous commands in the Navy in various capacities. He served directly with Admiral Sims and General Pershing. He was knighted by two separate European heads of state for his service.

Early life

William Alexander Ancrum III, of Camden, South Carolina, was born at the home of his maternal grandparents ("Rossdhu") in Abbeville, SC, on July 8, 1881, the oldest son of Planter and Civil War Veteran William Alexander Ancrum II and Anna Susan Calhoun. His grandfather, John Alfred Calhoun, a signer of the Ordinance of Secession, was the nephew of United States Vice President John C. Calhoun. Young Ancrum was raised on both Redbank Plantation (owned by the Ancrums since the mid-18th century) and the family's residence on Fair Street that was built as a summer residence by his paternal great-grandfather, William Ancrum Jr. of Charleston in the late 1700s. The latter was inspired by the Caribbean Georgian architecture he so admired in Jamaica while returning home to Charleston from Eton College.

Of French Huguenot and Scottish descent, Ancrum came from a Charleston family that settled in Camden to better cultivate the rich swamps of the Wateree and avoid malaria. He was educated in the local Camden schools but maintained his connections to Charleston, eventually later becoming a member of the St. Cecilia Society. A bright and disciplined young man, after completing school Ancrum was one of few to successfully secure a spot at the United States Naval Academy.

Career

Following his graduation from the Naval Academy in February 1903, he embarked on his career with an initial assignment to USS Wisconsin, stationed at the Bremerton, Washington, Navy Yard, bound for Chefoo, China. Subsequently, he was transferred to USS Oregon, part of the Asiatic Fleet. After completing over two years of service on USS Oregon, he transitioned to the destroyer Chauncey, tasked with patrolling the Western Philippines during the Russo-Japanese War and participating in operations against the Moros. He then joined USS Minnesota upon her commissioning on March 9, 1907, and served aboard during her world cruise alongside fifteen other battleships."

His subsequent assignments led him to the Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, where he briefly served aboard the newly commissioned USS Flusser on October 28, 1909. On December 29, 1909, he assumed the role of an assistant to the Engineer Officer at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, and also served as a member of the Court of Inquiry during that tour of duty. He undertook temporary ordnance duty on USS Kearsarge and USS Kentucky at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in October 1911, and upon detachment from the Norfolk Navy Yard on December 16, 1912, he assumed command of USS Warrington, commanding the vessel for six months. Upon his return to the United States from London, he was ordered to report to Commander Cruiser-Transport Force, at Hoboken, New Jersey. There, he instructed merchant captains for a month, who were to be commissioned in the Navy for command of certain vessels assigned the task of bringing troops home from France. He then proceeded to the Boston Navy Yard to command USS Sigourney, which was completing a major overhaul, and assumed command of that vessel, with additional duty in command of Destroyer Division SIX. Captain Ancrum next commanded a regiment - one battalion from each of the battleships comprising Battleship Division TWO, Scouting Fleet, of which the New York was a unit, from May to August 1925. These men were sent ashore at the Naval Training Station, Hampton Roads, Virginia, to make room for the Naval Academy's Midshipmen for the annual summer cruise. He commanded USS Mercy, hospital ship, from September of that year until June 1926, and for a year thereafter was a student at the Naval War College, attending the Senior Course.

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At his own request, he was again relieved of all active duty. He received a Letter of Commendation, with Ribbon, from the Secretary of the Navy for outstanding service as Port Director from July 1941 to March 1945. The commendation states: "Displaying exceptional leadership and administrative ability, Captain Ancrum supervised the control of all merchant ships, the Armed Guard and communication liaison groups aboard these vessels, using the ports within the Sixth Naval District. In addition, serving as Convoy and Routing Officer, Sixth Naval District, he planned the routing of all merchant vessels, hospital ships and certain naval auxiliaries and handled his duties in a manner far above that normally expected..." February 3, 1908 August 28, 1916 June 8, 1920 June 4, 1926

In addition to the Commendation Ribbon, Captain Ancrum received the Spanish Campaign Medal; the Philippine Campaign Medal; Mexican Campaign Medal; World War I Victory Medal; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal.

Rossdhu Plantation In 1938, Capt. Ancrum purchased Lower Waverly Plantation in Pawley's Island, South Carolina and renamed it Rossdhu Plantation, after his Calhoun ancestral home in Scotland. He and his wife retired here and spent the remainder of their lives in his native state, often traveling to Charleston and Camden to visit family. He remained a lifelong Episcopalian. After retiring to Rossdhu Plantation in Pawley's Island, the family became members of and attended All Saints' Parish Church, Waccamaw. After his son, William Alexander Ancrum IV, known as "Billy Boy," died early at the age of 29, his headstone was placed at this church. Subsequent Headstones were placed in Arlington National Cemetery and at the Ancrum Family Cemetery in downtown Camden, South Carolina.