Hi, Michelle:

Congratulations on making the first step towards finding your roots. Most Italian-American families have anglicized names, so it makes it difficult for many of us doing research. For example, you wrote:

QUOTE
My father was born Anthony Rosetta in 1932 in Washington, DC. His parents were Anthony and Myrtle Rosetta.
END QUOTE

If your grandparents were born in Italy, their first names would not have been Anthony and Myrtle--most likely Antonio and another name for your grandmother. I'm sure your dad knows what town they are from. Roseto Valfortore is in the Province of Foggia, so you could write to the "State Civile di Foggia", which you can find on the web. I did that, and I was sent certified birth certificates.

Also, Italian women keep their maiden name. I was at the cemetary in Roseto Valfortore, and that was when I found out that my maternal great-grandmother's maiden name was Capobianco. She did not have my grandfather's last name of Romano. So, it is very important that you ask your father what his mother's maiden name was.

Most Americans of Italian descent come from humble roots--which means that our ancestors worked as farmers or masons, or whatever, and they lived in small towns. Knowing the province is very helpful. Again, the web is a great source for that information.

I agree that your dad, at 72, probably has a wealth of information, and you should, indeed, try to tape record all his stories.

Good luck!