[1][2] His parents were both Swedish: his father, Karl Johan Aldrin (1866–1932), was a smith born in Stjärnsfors [sv] in Norra Råda in Sweden.

degree in aeronautical engineering in 1918, writing his thesis on an "Investigation of behavior of electrically heated wires with varying inclination to wind stream as applied to anemometer development" and the "Relationship of telephone transmitter resistance with diaphragm displacement – particularly to ascertain applicability as indicator for internal combustion engines", under the supervision of Arthur E.

[6] Aldrin completed flight training in February 1919, and was transferred to the United States Army Air Service on 1 July 1920.

[2] He briefly became a stockbroker, but sold all his stocks in August 1929, just two months before the Wall Street crash of 1929 in order to buy a grand three-storey, seven bedroom house in Montclair, New Jersey.

[10] As an Army reservist, he served in the Air Corps Procurement Planning Office in New York City and at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, from September 1930 to August 1939.

[2] On 4 February 1942, with World War II raging, Aldrin was recalled to active duty as the Commanding Officer of Newark Airport, New Jersey.

He served there as a project engineer on experimental production aircraft until January 1945, and then as Chief of the Operational Aids Branch with the 4020th Army Air Force Base Unit until November 1945.

[2] Aldrin left active duty on 21 June 1946, but remained a reservist until he retired from the Air Force Reserve with the rank of colonel on 1 May 1956.