Fiorello Laguardia 1882-1947
Served as Mayor of NY from 1934 to 1945. He was one of only three modern day mayors to serve 3 consecutive terms in office.

The airport is not just named for him, it exist because of him.
He caught pneumonia one winter, and went to Florida to recover. He had been there a week and was beginning to feel better.
Back in NY a disaster struck, and fireman was killed in the line of duty. Laguardia wanted to return to NY immediately, and booked a flight to NY on American Airlines. The plane landed at Newark (NJ) airport, and LaGuardia refused to get off. He said, my ticket says New York, I am the Mayor of New York, and this ain't New York!
Eventually, the plane took off again, and brought the mayor to Floyd Bennet field (an army base) in Brooklyn. After the funeral, LaGuardia started plans for the airport that bears his name. Work was started in 1937, and the airport opened in 1945. (more about the air port here
http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/lhisfram.htm)


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