After serving in World War I, Eddy had an academic career as a literary scholar and professor of English, at Dartmouth College and the American University in Cairo.

In 2008, Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East, the first biography on him, was published by Selwa Press.

His wife and children found life in Egypt difficult, however, and Eddy returned to the U.S. in 1928 to accept a teaching position at Dartmouth College.

[11] Early in the war, Eddy suggested for the United States to try to become closer to Saudi Arabia because of its strategic importance, relative independence, and internal stability.

[12] In December 1941, Eddy was redeployed as Naval Attaché to Tangier, Morocco, to try to help secure areas of North Africa under threat by the Germans.

[13] While in Tangier, Eddy was also part of a group that helped organize subversive fighting elements in Spanish Morocco in case the Germans made it there.

[16] At the time, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had already begun in earnest to begin a relationship with Saudi Arabia, and oil exploration and drilling was continuing and building up via the US company CASOC, Aramco's predecessor.

[21] Writing from his new home base of Beirut in the late 1940s, Eddy included in his CIA assessment of the region a warning about religious fundamentalism that could grow with continued US support of the partition idea.

Eddy died of a stroke on May 3, 1962, at age 66 in the hospital of the American University of Beirut, which his father and family friends had helped to found.

"[24] His awards include: Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant William A. Eddy (MCSN: 0-1135), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as the Intelligence Officer, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

While leader of a raiding party, Second Lieutenant Eddy displayed great courage and devotion to duty by fearlessly entering dangerous areas and obtaining valuable information.

[25]Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant William A. Eddy (MCSN: 0-1135), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as the Intelligence Officer, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Torcy, France, 4 June 1918.

While leader of a raiding party, Second Lieutenant Eddy displayed great courage and devotion to duty by fearlessly entering dangerous areas and obtaining valuable information.