Billy Fiske and the Battle of Britain

Ross Mirmelstein brings the story of Billy Fiske and the Battle of Britain to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall on Thursday, November 5, at 7 PM. It's a presentation that centers on William 'Billy' Fiske III, an American bobsled champion and Cambridge scholar who was among the first Americans to volunteer to fight for Britain in the Second World War. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and became an RAF pilot; during the Battle of Britain, he was the first American-citizen pilot to be killed in action, in 1940.

Mirmelstein comes to the evening from the Billy Fiske Foundation. His own interest in the Battle of Britain dates back to 1962, when he read Douglas Bader's biography Fly for Your Life. Since then, he's built a library of more than 200 books on the subject, and this presentation draws on that background to bring Fiske's story to life.

Tickets are $20, with a $10 rate for Britsburgh members, veterans, and active duty—use the code FISKE for that 50% discount. The hall is at 4141 Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh, and the presentation starts at 7 PM on Thursday, November 5.