William Menster

Father William J. Menster (February 10, 1913 – April 14, 2007) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

[3][2][4] Following the Second World War, Menster briefly served at Naval Air Station Miami before being assigned to Operation Highjump – Admiral Richard Byrd's fourth expedition to Antarctica – in 1946.

On January 26, 1947 he led the first ever religious service of any denomination on the continent with a Mass offered for world peace.

Throughout the expedition, Menster said Mass daily and also conducted ecumenical services for the 2,000 men of a variety of religious faiths.

Bill Beye was baptized by Menster on Christmas Eve, 1946, aboard the ship – believed to be the first baptism in the Antarctic Circle.

He later traveled to Hollywood where he served as a technical consultant when ABC made a documentary about Antarctica named The Secret Land, which was based in part on his book.

[1] Menster was assigned to be the pastor of St. Patrick's Church in, Monona, St. Mary's in Waverly, and St. John's in Clarion in 1958.