Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Edgar Michaels enlisted in the Air Corps in September 1942 at age 19. He trained as an aerial navigator on B-24s at Ellington Field, Texas, in San Marcos, Texas, Harlingen, Texas and Pueblo, Colorado. Sent overseas, he was assigned to the 44th Bomb Group/506th Bomb Squadron at Shipdham, England. On his 6th mission, Edgar Michaels was Navigator of B-24 # 42-100415 when it ran into mechanical trouble on return in the afternoon from the 8 August 1944 mission to bomb the airfield at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Edgar had lost his flying boots in jumping out of the airplane, landed in his stockings near Vauchamps (Marne), France, twisting and lacerating his left ankle. Soon joined by Bombardier Charles Lain, Left Waist Gunner Walter Bohenko and Tail Gunner Stanley Hulewicz, Michaels and his comrades were helped in their evasion of capture by French patriots and underground fighters. Liberated by US troops, Michaels, Lain, Bohenko and Hulewicz were together at US 3rd Army HQ in Reims with their Pilot Bernard Komasinski, Co-Pilot Winfield Gippert, Top Turret Gunner Nelson Brott. All left Laval, France, by air in a C-47, landing in Grove, England on 31 August 1944. Escape & Evasion Report E&E 1300. Back in the United States, he served as an instructor at March Air Field in Riverside, California until his retirement from the service in September 1945.

Ed Michaels made his career as a business owner in Pittsburgh, PA. after marrying his wife, Norma Barker Michaels, in November 1950. They had three children. Ed was also significantly involved in housing and community development, and in 1969 he was elected to serve on Pittsburgh's City Council. He later served on the City's Planning Commission. Ed passed away in Pittsburgh on July 21, 2013, at the age of 90.