Bobby J. Edwards was born on May 8, 1943. His family roots run deep in North Carolina, but he spent most of his childhood and youth on the Virginia Peninsula, in areas including Newport News, Hampton, and Yorktown. He attended local schools there and later studied history at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

Military Service

In October 1965, Bobby was drafted and chose instead to enlist in the U.S. Air Force, following a family tradition of service in that branch. After basic training, he attended technical school at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he trained as a Morse Code Intercept Operator (AF MOS 29251).

His first assignment was with the 6910th Security Wing, based in Darmstadt, Germany, where he served from June 1966 to August 1968. (That unit’s parent command, the Air Force Security Service, is known today as Air Force Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Intelligence.) During this time, his primary mission involved intercepting Polish and Russian military Morse code communications.

Following the Tet Offensive in 1968, Bobby volunteered for "Back End” missions aboard the EC-47 aircraft. Instead, he received orders for the 6924th Security Squadron at Da Nang, Vietnam. As he later reflected,

"I am proud of the importance of the interceptions that were made in critical periods of our history. My main intercept target was the Air Defense HQ of North Vietnam at Hanoi and Haiphong. The Air War in the North came through my eyes and ears every day."

Bobby takes great pride in the critical intelligence interceptions made during key periods of the war. He has often spoken with admiration about the quality, character, and skill of his fellow Airmen in the 6924th Security Squadron. The unit earned numerous awards that reflected the excellence of those who served.

He also reflects on the intensity of the combat environment, including more than 90 rocket attacks on the base and the destruction of the Operations Center during the April 27, 1969, explosions at the Marine ASP No. 1 Bomb Dump. These experiences underscored for him the vital roles played by everyone in uniform in a combat zone.

Civilian Career

Upon returning to civilian life, Bobby had a position waiting as a management trainee with J.C. Penney Co. He spent most of his career in sales, marketing, and management. As a marketing manager for an office equipment company in Virginia Beach, he helped grow the organization from a couple of dozen employees to over 200. His performance earned him several contest wins, including trips to foreign countries and major resort destinations.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Service

In 2007, at an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Bobby reconnected with Rex Faris, a former 6924th comrade from Da Nang who was then serving as Virginia Department Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). With recruitment assistance from Faris and District Commander Hal Roach (who later became National Commander), Bobby became involved with the VFW.

In 2009, he began serving as Adjutant for a VFW Post in Yorktown. Among his favorite memories from that time are chairing the Yorktown 4th of July Parade and organizing the 70th Anniversary Memorial Presentation of the Battle of the Bulge, which featured participation from the William Lee Chapter of the 101st Airborne and two "Band of Brothers” veterans from Easy Company—Norbert Thomas and Ed Shames. As part of the Post’s Color Guard, he also helped present colors at Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies at the Yorktown Courthouse. He left Virginia at the end of 2015.

In 2016, Bobby became Post Adjutant at the VFW Post in New Bern, North Carolina, a role he held until July 2024—a total of 15 years as an Adjutant with the VFW. Some of his proudest accomplishments include:

• Launching the Post’s Facebook page in 2017
• Coordinating yard sale events
• Supporting numerous fundraisers, including bike rides, turkey shoots, and dinners
• Organizing the 90th Anniversary 4th of July celebration for the 1931 Dixon Post
• Coordinating the return of Corregidor "Lost Dog Tags” belonging to Charles Cook to his closest relative in New Bern
• Serving as Buddy Poppy Chairman in New Bern starting in May 2016, with the Post and Auxiliary consistently raising an average of $5,000 per year through volunteer efforts

Bobby has expressed particular pride in the talented younger members who have joined the Post and continue to uphold its reputation. Due to declining night vision that poses safety risks, he stepped back from key leadership roles in 2024. Reflecting on his service from 2007 onward, he describes it as a "great ride.”

While Bobby has stepped back from more intensive roles, he remains an active and valued member of the Dixon-Conderman community, acting as the Post Judge Advocate and unofficial Post Historian.