William Menster

Who was William Menster?

Father William J. Menster was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Menster was best known as the first member of the clergy to visit Antarctica.

Born in Cascade, Iowa, Menster was the son of Joseph and Frances Menster. He attended St. Martin's School in Cascade and Loras College in Dubuque. Menster studied for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Menster was ordained a priest on June 11, 1938.

Fr. Menster was then assigned to be the associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Waterloo, Iowa. During this time Menster joined the United States Naval Reserve, and by 1943 had reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Following the Second World War, in 1946 Menster was assigned to Operation Highjump - Admiral Richard Byrd's fourth expedition to Antarctica. He was assigned to the USS Mt. Olympus, and was the only chaplain in the five ship fleet. In 1947 he became the first Catholic priest ever to set foot on Antarctica, and led the first ever religious service on the continent. During a religious service held in a tent set up on land, he consecrated Antarctica.