PAUL RIZZO, born in Brooklyn in 1904, to immigrant parents, became obsessed with aviation at age 13 when a Curtiss Jenny made a forced landing near the school he attended in Brooklyn.

In 1926 he purchased a disabled Jenny, and with no instruction restored it to flying condition, then taught himself how to fly. Later, at Curtiss Field, he started to teach others how to rebuild and fly Jennies.

He became a Flight Instructor; Fixed Base Airport Operator; Charter Pilot; Aviation Mechanic and Engineer; Float, Amphibian and Flying Boat Pilot; Aerobatic Pilot; Air- show Performer and Promoter and started his own airport in 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. He called it Barren Island Airport. A few years later, Clarence Chamberlin, appointed by New York City Mayor, Jimmy Walker, chose Paul Rizzo's Barren Island Airport Site to become the first New York City Municipal Airport, Floyd Bennett Field. Floyd Bennett Field, now a Brooklyn historical landmark, has been replaced by the Kennedy-La Guardia Jetport complexes.

In March 1939, Paul Rizzo enlisted in the Army Reserve, and in 1942 he was in the Air Force Ferry Command and Military Air Transport Command. He ferried many fighters and bombers across the Atlantic and throughout the United States. He served 23 years in the Air Force and retired as an Air Force Major. He served in World War II in the United States Army Air Force's 2nd Ferrying Group, Ferrying Division, Air Transport Command, New Castle Army Base, Wilmington, Delaware, (October 1942 to May 1946). He held the rating of SP, Senior Service Pilot. Rizzo delivered military aircraft throughout the U.S. ranging from single engine fighters to four engine bombers.

Later with (MATS) Military Air Transport Command he flew C54's across the Atlantic to the European and African theaters. Piloting the C54's overseas he carried cargo and personnel to foreign shores and on the return trips carried litter cases back to the U.S. During his military career he flew P47, P51, P63, AT6, B25, B26, A26, B17, B24, C54, and A20's. He totaled 1,205 hours of military flying.

As of May 1980 he logged a total of 12,393 flying hours. One hundred and three hours of his military time was in the P47, models P47D, P47N and P47G. Major Rizzo states, "the P47 was a solid, sturdy airplane, easy to fly and performed good. She gave a pilot a feeling of security. The P47 proved itself in World War II."

He taught Aviation Mechanics in New York City serving 30 years. He flew a Grumman Widgeon to remote lakes in the Canadian Bush. At times he and his fishing party were the first United States Americans some of the Canadian natives had seen.

He gave flight instructions to many early New York City police aviators and present day transport pilots.

He piloted the New York Daily News Grumman Mallard and Beaver De Havilland part time and week-ends for six years. Major Rizzo in 1968 spent three months flying a Grumman Super-Widgeon down the Amazon River to remote native villages in South America.

Today he is a noted expert in restoring antique airplanes and is known nationally for his keen restoration knowledge of vintage automobiles. At age 76 Rizzo says "He'd Rather be Flying" and he still does. Paul Rizzo resides with his wife Olive in East Meadow, New York, and is an active member of many organizations including the Lon~ Island Early Fliers Club.

"As American warplanes were coming off the factory assembly lines, ferry pilots, such as myself, flew them to destinations all over the world."