William Alexander Ancrum

William Alexander Ancrum (July 8, 1881 – March 11, 1963) was a captain in the United States Navy who fought during the late 19th and early 20th centuries 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.

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..."

Awards and decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Captain William Alexander Ancrum::

Rank and Insignia:

United States Naval Academy Midshipman – Class of 1903

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.

Like other high-ranking Allied military officers, Ancrum was bestowed with the honors of two separate knighthoods for his services during the liberation of Europe during the World War I and World War II. These included the Order of the Crown of Belgium by King Albert of Belgium, in October 1918; as well as the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, from the Government of Italy. He was a veteran of five wars.

Personal life
He married Cora Nesbit Carrison of Camden, South Carolina. They had two children who survived infancy:
 * 1) Lt. William Alexander Ancrum IV, "Billy Boy," born March 22 1910, he was a 1932 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, SC. He was then commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Coast Artillery, Officers Reserve Corps, US Army. He died in Florence, South Carolina, July 29, 1939.
 * 2) Margaret Carrison Ancrum, who married Gen. Roger Trask Carleson, United States Marine Corps.

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 life 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 and 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.