William R. Arnold

William Richard Arnold (June 10, 1881 – January 7, 1965) was an American Army officer and bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 5th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army from 1937 to 1945 and Military Delegate of the Armed Forces from 1945 until his death in 1965.

Biography

Early life and education William Arnold was born in Wooster, Ohio, to Augustine Adam and Catherine Mary (née Dalton) Arnold. He attended St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana, graduating in 1902. Before beginning his studies for the priesthood, he learned his father's trade of cigar-making and later worked as a bar-straightener at a steel mill in Muncie. In Peru, Indiana, he became acquainted and quartered with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. His first assignment was as a curate at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Peru. On December 23, 1937, Arnold was appointed Chief of the Army Chaplain Corps by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with the rank of colonel.

Contributions to music Arnold felt that music was essential to Army chaplaincy and delegated the authority for editing a new hymnal, The Hymnal Army and Navy, to Ivan L. Bennett (later to become Chief of Chaplains 1952–1954), to replace The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920) edited by John B. Frazier and Julian E. Yates. He also felt that the Chaplain Corps should have their own march, an effort that resulted in the "Soldiers of God," with stirring music composed by Ben Machan and lyrics by Private Hy Zaret.

Military Delegate of the Armed Forces On May 5, 1945, Arnold was appointed Military Delegate of the Armed Forces and Titular Bishop of Phocaea by Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 11 from Archbishop Francis Spellman, with Bishops John F. Noll and John Francis O'Hara serving as co-consecrators, at St. Patrick's Cathedral. He traveled extensively during his 19-year tenure, visiting American military installations throughout the world and administering the sacraments to members of the armed services and their families.

Arnold died at St. Clare's Hospital in New York City, at age 83.