Joseph A. Suozzi

Joseph Anthony Suozzi (August 22, 1921 – October 16, 2016) was an Italian-born American attorney, judge, and politician. Early life Suozzi was born in Ruvo del Monte, a village in the province of Potenza, in the Basilicata region. He and his mother, Rosa Ciampa, emigrated to the United States in 1925. They joined his father, Michele, who had preceded them to the U.S., arriving in 1913. Before returning to Italy in 1920 to marry, Michele Suozzi served in the U.S. infantry, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. As a result, Joseph Suozzi was also a citizen of the United States. Suozzi attended elementary and high school in Glen Cove and Oyster Bay. He volunteered as an Air Cadet prior to his graduation from college. He entered military service with the United States Air Force during World War II, and became a navigator assigned to a B-24 bombing crew of the 15th Air Force. He was based at Torretta Air Field, in Cerignola, Italy – less than 50 miles from his birthplace. He completed 35 bombing missions in Austria, Yugoslavia, Germany, and Italy, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Clusters. Career In 1949, when 28 years old, he was elected to become the third of Glen Cove's city court judges. The New York Times said that he was the youngest elected or appointed judge in the United States. He also served as a justice in New York State's supreme court, as well as in its appellate division.