The Honorable William F. O 'Donnell was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School on 20 May 1943, Class Number 238-A. | Principal military assignments are as follows: Infantry Unit Commander, IRTC, Camp Croft, South Carolina, May 1943-May 1944; 346th Infantry Regiment, 87th Division, May 1944-February 1945; A.D.C. 87th Division February 1945-October 1945. Released from Active to Reserves October 1945. Served as a Platoon Leader in a training Company for one year at Camp Croft, SC. Assigned to L Company, 346th Infantry, Fort Jackson, SC, as a platoon leader. | When Division was alerted for overseas in June 1944, served as umpire in unit testing exercises and was responsible for qualifying cooks, bakers, etc., and others not fully qualified as infantrymen in preparation for overseas duty (weapons, grenades, bArizonaookas, gas, etc.). He went Overseas in September 1944 as member of Advance Party. Returned to unit as Platoon Leader and later as a special unit commander (Tiger Patrol) until assigned as Aide to Division Commander and Assistant Division Commander in February 1945 (1st Lieutenant February 1945). Returned with Division in July 1945 in anticipation of service in assault on Japan. Released from service in October 1945 on the basis of points. | His awards and decorations include: Silver Star, Bronze Star w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and Combat Infantryman Badge. | After leaving active service in 1945, Mr. O'Donnell joined the Department of State as a Vice Consul. He was assigned to the American Consulate General, Hamburg, Germany until the end of 1947. In 1947, he entered Georgetown Law School (evening classes) graduating in 1951. Passed the District of Columbia Bar and served as Law Clerk for a Federal Judge 1951-52. Joined the Department of Justice and served as a trial attorney and Special Assistant to the Attorney General 1952-1957, primarily trying cases against Communist Party Leaders and other subversive groups. In September 1957, entered the seminary and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1957. Since that time Mr. O'Donnell has continuously served as a parish priest, Editor of a diocesan newspaper (13 years) and on numerous boards, commissions, etc. Elevated to Monsignor 1970.