I don't know where to start tracing my father's family.

[Ritaoconnor]

My father is Michele Odessa (as was his grandfather). The family was from Rionero in Vulture, Basilicata. Michele Odessa must have been born in about the 1890s, he served as a soldier in WWI and died in the war.

I don't know where to find any information about the family, other than what my father remembers.

Cheers
Rita

[suanj]

Hi,
ODESSA Michele was born on 5 Mar 1891 in Rionero in Vulture, son of Giuseppe Odessa; died on 21 Jun 1916.. http://www.difesa.it/_layouts/15/MdDEvo ... /2/169.jpg ..
Here the Rionero in Vulture civil records https://familysearch.org/search/image/i ... Fwaypoints
so you can start your genealogic search..
hoping helpful,
suanj