William Menster

Father William Menster is a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Born and raised on a farm near Cascade, Iowa he became a priest in 1938. Fr. Menster became a chaplin in the United States Navy at the outbreak of World War II.

Following the war, Menster was assigned to Admiral Byrd's expedition to Antarctica. 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.

After the expedition he spent another 20 years in the naval reserve. Once he left the service, he returned to Iowa and served in a variety of capacities for the Dubuque Archdiocese.