Edwin Cardin was only briefly a member of the Class of '77, but after graduating from Southeast Missouri State University in 1975 he continued his service to the country by entering the Air Force.
In 1979 he was a member of the first squadron with F-15s at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. On December 29, 1982 he was flying near Okinawa when he collided with his wingman and was killed.
Edwin was survived by his wife and two-year-old son; his wife established an endowed scholarship to be awarded to a non-scholarship AFROTC cadet at SMSU.
In June 1983 Building 3382 at Kadena was dedicated as Cardin Hall. It was rededicated on December 20, 2013, and is now home to the 18th Operations Support Squadron.
https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/EDWIN_W._CARDIN,_CAPT,_USAF