In 1936 Eddie left for Spain to be a pilot in the Spanish Civil War which was against the law. Along with fellow Americans Bert Acosta and Frederic Ives Lord he organized the Yankee Squadron. He was only there for a month before he returned to the United States. When talking to reporters Eddie said: "I was broke, hungry, jobless ... yet despite the fact that all three of us are old-time aviators who did our part for the development of the industry, we were left out in the cold in the Administration’s program of job making. Can you blame us for accepting the lucrative Spanish offer?" 