Presenter: Renee Steinig
Format: Download MP4 video file of Slides with synchronized audio

Three years ago, a metal-detecting enthusiast wrote to the Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island seeking help. Exploring in an Arizona desert, formerly the site of a World War II training camp, he had found a silver ID bracelet, inscribed "With Love From Bella to Joe 2-3-43, Joe Seltzer #32647281;" he hoped to return it to the soldier's family. This presentation will illustrate the path JGSLI volunteers followed to learn more about Pfc. Joseph G. Seltzer of Brooklyn and his girlfriend Bella, and to identify Joe's parents and their descendants. Censuses, military records, newspapers, the Social Security Death Index, PeopleFinders, Geni and ultimately Facebook were among the sources that led to a poignant conclusion, decades after the young soldier's death. Additionally, a visit to Joseph's grave brought insights into post-war military re-interments and further research revealed a valuable resource for reconstructing the full service history of a fallen American soldier.