Paul Soderlind created an everlasting impact on his community and aviation due to his persistent hard work and passion for flying. Paul Soderlind grew up with his family on a farm in the 1920s. As a child, he had a vast interest in airplanes and discovered his passion for flying early on. Soderlind took his first flight lesson at the age of twelve and earned his private certification on his eighteenth birthday. After high school, Soderlind began working for Northwest Airlines at an instrument school located in Rochester, Minnesota. After two years, he left Northwest Airlines to serve in the United States Navy during World War II. Soderlind served as a check pilot for the Naval Air Transport Squadron for two years before returning back