William Patrick O'Connor

In 1917, O'Connor was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Wisconsin National Guard and served as a chaplain with the 32nd Infantry Division in France[3] He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre medal for bravery in action.

[2] He received his episcopal consecration on March 7, 1942, from Archbishop Moses E. Kiley, with Bishops Aloisius Muench and Vincent Ryan serving as co-consecrators.

[2] During his tenure as bishop, O'Connor founded three new parishes, opened two new schools, and erected ten units of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine with a total enrollment of 12,000 children.

[5] In his first year as bishop, O'Connor established the Blessed Martin Guild to promote racial understanding and convert more minorities to Catholicism.

[7] On February 18, 1967, Pope Paul VI accepted O'Connor's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Madison after 21 years of service.