The Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 433 E. Main St., Hummelstown. World War II author and historian Mitch Topal will speak about Delaware resident Ray Firmani's service piloting a B-17 on 25 bombing runs over Nazi Germany.

The son of poor Italian immigrants, Firmani excelled in the nine-month United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) training program, was awarded his wings and, by the end of the war, had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. Topal's book "Against All Odds: The Ray Firmani Story" is based on Firmani's journals of adventures and adversities of being a "flyboy."

The meeting is open to the public, and no registration is required. The event will also be livestreamed on the "Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable" YouTube channel. For additional information, visit http://www.centralpaww2roundtable.org.

The Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable is a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for World War II veterans, along with authors, historians, and others, to share their knowledge and experiences related to the war.