11/13/2025
This is Edwin Vardimin, better known as Ed. Ed was 18 years old when he joined the Air Force, which he entered at the tail end of WW2. Ed began basic training just days after graduating high school. After being interviewed as to what job he would like to do in the Air Force, and being a highly qualified individual, he chose the Air Weather Service. Ed was sent to Mississippi for a time, then Illinois where he says he really learned how to do his job. Ed talks about how there was quite an adjustment period for him, as he had never before been away from his home town of Louisville.
After a time, Ed was processed to be transferred to the European Theater of Operations. However, shortly before being sent, he was told that Europe didn't need anymore weather men. He was then given the opportunity to choose his next base. Having a love for nice warm weather, he chose California or Florida... instead they sent Ed to Fort Knox, 50 miles from his home in Louisville, where he served the remainder of his term.
This turned out to be a good thing, as Ed was able to travel back and forth from home to visit his family. On one particular occasion, Ed got a ride from a nice gentleman who seemed very pleasant. During the ride, Ed noticed an enormous amount of weapons in the back seat- machine guns, pistols and rifles. This made Ed uneasy, as he couldn't imagine why someone would have such a heavy arsenal. Ed decided to very politely ask this man why there were so many guns in his back seat. As it turned out, the man was a revenue agent and on his way to Southern Kentucky to arrest a group of moonshiners. This was obviously a relief to Ed, and he says the rest of the ride was very pleasant. He still laughs when he tells this story.
Ed went on to complete his term at Fort Knox and describes it as a learning experience he is thankful for. After returning home, he enrolled at the University of Louisville.
However, Ed's story doesn't end there. After the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Ed was called back to duty. He was assigned duty in Georgia, where he served as a weather man until 1953.
After Ed's second completed term, he re-enrolled at The University Of Louisville where he received his degree and went on to work as an attorney for the US Army Core of Engineers until retirement in 1992.
We thank you for your service, Edwin!
