Editor’s Note: Check out CNN.com’s ATL24 multimedia special report, a 24-hour peek behind the scenes at the world’s busiest airport.
Story highlights
War heroes, civil rights leaders and a musician: Airport namesakes cover a lot of terrain
One airport namesake was court-martialed for criticizing his superiors
Another built the airport himself and then sold it to the city
You know the airport names: Hartsfield-Jackson. O’Hare. Logan. Lambert.
But, all too often, they’re just names. What about the people these American airports are named for?
You might be surprised to find out just who’s being honored by having their monikers on some of America’s most important travel links.
We’ll skip the presidential airports – JFK, Reagan National and so on, and look at some of the less evident namesakes. Check out the gallery to meet the people behind the airport names.