Edwin Lee White was born in Valley City, North Dakota, on July 5, 1896, to Elsie (Hadley) and Frank White. While enrolled at the University of North Dakota, White developed an acquaintance with Professor Dr. A. Hoyt Taylor and the two worked together on UND's local radio programs until White entered the United States Naval Reserve Corps in July 1917. He was called to active duty and was assigned to the USS Iowan, a transport ship. White was discharged as a Lieutenant, Junior Grade on February 11, 1919. After the end of the war, White obtained his AB and MS degrees and worked as a radio engineer with the Signal Corps. He joined the Federal Radio Commission on June 1, 1930, after it was made a permanent agency by the Communications Act of 1930.

During World War II, White took leave of his Federal job to go on active military duty, a month before the Pearl Harbor attack. He served until February 1946, achieving the rank of Colonel in the Air Corps.

After the war, White resumed his old civil service job. The agency had now been replaced by the Federal Communications Commission. White retired in 1955 as Chief of the Safety and Special Radio Services Bureau.