Edwin Bain was born on September 23, 1917, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on August 20, 1936, and served as a radio operator and repairman before serving as a radio operator and aerial gunner on B-25 Mitchell bombers with the 89th Reconnaissance Squadron at McChord Field, Washington. Sgt Bain was selected for the Doolittle Mission in February 1942. He served as the gunner on the 14th B-25 to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) on April 18, 1942, and after bombing targets in and around Nagoya, Japan, the crew flew to China and bailed out when their aircraft ran out of fuel. After returning to the United States, Sgt Bain transferred to the 441st Bomb Squadron of the 320th Bomb Group at MacDill Field, Florida, in June 1942, and deployed with his unit to North Africa in December 1942, serving as a gunner on B-26 Marauder bombers until he was killed in action on July 19, 1943. His remains were never recovered.

His Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on April 18, 1942. Sergeant Bain volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on Sergeant Bain and the military service.