Customer Reviews

Finding Billy: An Internet Odyssey

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With the WW11 memorial just dedicated in Washington, Finding Billy is a must read! This memoir takes us back, gives us an intimate peek at history and the lives of brave young men involved in that conflict. We feel the love and loss of friends and family through the pages of Diana Dale's book. We particularly feel the determination of the author and the people she met through the internet to solve the mustery of her Uncle, Billy Wisner's disappearance over the Italian Alps in l944 while flying his P-38. You fall in love with handsome Billy through his endearing letters to his family and friends. Don't miss this glimpse into life during WW11.

Finding Billy chronicles the author's search to find out about the circumstances of her uncle's death. Billy Wisner was a World War II pilot who wemt "missing in action" over Italy in October, 1944. That was all the information his family had for over 50 years, though his mother never gave up hope that she would see him again. Diana Dale's simple question on an internet veterans' message board (Does anyone remember my uncle?) led to the resolution of this family's story. Along the way, Dale's internet acquaintances become real friends, and Dale completes the puzzle in the way the US Army could not.

Dale uses family letters to paint a picture of Billy's life, and her emails trace the progression of the investigation. Her personality shines through the prose, as do those of the many people she meets, first online and then in person.

Not just for WWII aviation buffs, Finding Billy will appeal to anyone who likes the satifaction of a mystery solved, or who is haunted by the loss of a loved one. Highly recommended.