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World War II
J. Claude Ankrom
Carpenter's Mate, 2nd Class
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[Introduction]
As the descendant of over 40 known patriots, I'm proud to introduce my very favorite patriot — my father, Claude Ankrom, who served with distinction in the United State Navy during World War II. With his extroverted personality, he'd regale any listener in sight with tales of his military experiences from 1942 to 1945. One of his favorite stories was about the June 6th typhoon that damaged at least 20 ships in the fleet. At the height of the storm, the ship's smokestacks were rocking so hard that they were below the water line on both port AND starboard sides. The crew was being tossed all over the ship. Since he worked in the carpenter's shop, he had the know-how and tools to fashion a hammock over his bunk. During the height of the storm, he rocked back and forth like a baby. When he was over 80 years old, he was invited to two reunions with the crew of the "440" which he thoroughly enjoyed.
[The Early Years]
Jennings "Claude" Ankrom was born Mod's Run near James Fork between Farmington and Fairview in Marion County, West Virginia. His mother was Minnie Richardson of Mannington, and his father was Henry D. Ankrom, originally of Wick in Tyler County.
Claude attended high school in Farmington where he played football and sung in the high school glee club. Shortly before graduation, his father died, and the family moved back to Mannington, his mother's hometown.
After high school he worked at a variety of jobs while living at home. His mother taught piano lesson at home. [Occupations listed in the 1930 Federal Census- Marion Co. WV]
He started to focus on a musical career. He sang weekly on radio and had a permanent solo position at the Methodist Temple in Fairmont which paid $25 dollars a week during the height of the "Great Depression". During this time, he traveled to Pittsburgh, PA every week to study voice with a singer from the Metropolitan Opera at a cost of $25 per lesson. A progessive hearing loss (partly brought on by a condition now known as TMJ) brought an end to his dream of a professional career although he was once offered a chance to go to Hollywood for a role in the movie industry. Claude took courses to train as a refrigeration technician.
[The War]
Early Monday morning, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he tried to enlist in the Marines but was turned down due to his worsening hearing. However, the US Navy accepted him. His Statement of Service gives his enlistment date as January 7, 1942. This statement showed that he was transferred for discharge on August 20, 1945, 5 days after the offical end of World War II. His "Honorable Discharge" certificate shows that he date of discharge was Oct. 3, 1945 in Bainbridge, MD. He spent the first half of his tour in the Spanish Archipiélago de Las Perlas off the coast of Panama, then in the Pacific Theater in the just-commissioned destroyer escort, USS McCoy Reynolds.
In September 1943, he was given final leave before shipping out to the South Pacific. During his leave, he married Hazel G. Baker of Wetzel Co. WV. She was currently working for the national headquarters of The American Red Cross. Three days after their marriage, he left for the South Pacific, not to see his bride for another 18 months. In February of 1944, was assigned to a new destroyer escort McCoy Reynolds [DE 440]. This ship served with Halsey's Third Fleet at Peleliu, Ulithi, and Okinawa. He was present for its shakedown off Bermuda until his discharge. He took part of an escort that participated in the bombing of Hiroshima.
[After the War]
Upon discharge, he brushed on on his refrigeration service skills and took a position as a refrigeration/service technican for the Monongahela Power Company (now Allegheny Power). He was transferred, first to Weirton, WV and later to Chester, WV, where he remained until moving to Fort Myers, Florida in 1960. He worked for several air conditioning and refrigeration firms, until he started his own business. As he was getting older, he found his business growing and he had to make a decision whether to expand or close up and work for someone else. He felt because of his age (nearing 60), that he was too old to expand and made the decision to close his business and work as refrigeration technican for a large regional diary plant until his retirement. Three months before his scheduled retirement in 1975, he lost his wife of 34 years. He found happiness again when he remarried in 1982. His wife still resides in Florida.
Even though it was not his profession, music continuted to be a big part of his life. He took part in numerous musical venues: served as bass-baritone soloist in church, and sung for civic and social activities. He joined the Masonic Lodge, Kiwanis, and Moose organizations.
He passed away in Manatee County, Florida in February, 1995. His ashes were scattered in the Gulf of Mexico near Sanibel Island.
Links:
Websites featuring the USS McCoy Reynolds:
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