Members of the Paul Rinaldo Redfern Aviation Society celebrated the 85th anniversary of Redfern’s ill-fated flight to Brazil: (standing, l-r) Billy Rawl, Gary Rayman, Warner Montgomery, Ron Shelton, Paul Redfern Jennings (Paul Redfern’s nephew who lives in Sumter), Gene Sansbury, Fritz Hamer, (seated) Xen Motsinger and Jim Hamilton (both members of the S.C. Aviation Hall of Fame), Greta Rayman, Jean Derrick, and Ray Derrick. Photo by Billy Rawls It was exactly 85 years ago that Paul Redfern, a graduate of Columbia High School and one of America’s leading aviators, set out to be the first person to fly from North America to South America. The Paul Rinaldo Redfern Aviation Society raised their glasses at 12:46, August 25, to toast Redfern’s takeoff from Brunswick, Georgia, for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Twentyfive year-old Redfern, son of the dean of Benedict College, was last seen as he flew over the Venezuelan coast into the jungles of South America. His disappearance is still a mystery.

This society, organized 15 years ago by Tom Savage and Ron Shelton, consists of a small but enthusiastic group of newspaper publishers, doctors, lawyers, social workers, librarians, historians, museum officials, and retired pilots, who are interested in propagating this pioneer aviator’s legacy. They meet annually on August 25 to celebrate Redfern’s flight.