Ed Matheny was born in Chicago but his family moved to Kansas City when he was still a babe. He grew up in the Kansas City area a member of the Boy Scouts earning the title of Eagle Scout. Ed went to the University of Missouri and played Basketball. In fact, was getting ready for a train ride to the west coast for a game the day Pearl harbor was bombed. As a young man, his main concern was whether they would still have the game. Ed graduated in 1943 and joined the V7 program. After his training he was sent to Pearl Harbor and ended up serving in Guam. He had the fortune to see Admiral Nimitz and often saw him on his morning walks.