William Wright

This week’s Veterans Spotlight shines on William

William Wright Abbot III, born in May 1922, was an American historian and archivist, renowned for his contributions to the compilation and editing of The Washington Papers. Before his distinguished academic career, he served in the Navy during World War II.

Abbot enlisted in the Navy in 1943 after graduating from the University of Georgia. He served in the Pacific, Mediterranean, and Adriatic regions aboard small naval vessels, including the USS Crouter (DE 11), SC 676, and SC 504. At the young age of 22, he commanded SC-504, a 110-foot submarine chaser.

After the war, Abbot used the G.I. Bill to pursue history studies at Duke University, where he earned both a master’s and a doctorate. In 1946, he briefly taught celestial navigation to naval cadets at Duke.

Over his nearly five-decade career as a historian and educator, Abbot joined the University of Virginia in 1966 as the James Madison Professor of History, serving twice as Chairman of the Corcoran Department of History. From 1977 to 1992, he was the chief editor of The Papers of George Washington.

Abbot passed away in August 2009 at the age of 87.

Thank you for your service!