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Gary K.
Cline
(October
19, 1938 - November 30, 2015)
CDR Gary Cline, USN(Ret) FOLLY BEACH - On November
30, 2015, Commander Gary K. Cline, USN (Ret.), 77,
the quintessential raconteur, whose wanderlust and
thirty-year military career included sailing nearly
every one of the world's oceans and seas, who held
court in ports-of-call across the globe, who lived
in six countries but chose Folly Beach, SC for his
home, has, after a long illness, made his final
journey. Born October 19, 1938 in the small mid-west
city of Coldwater, Kansas, young Gary was known
around town as a mischievous, yet amiable
entrepreneur, who loved listening to the exploits of
veterans, and dreamed of travel to exotic places.
Gary Cline was the son of life-long Coldwater
residents Raymond E. and Mary Waneta (Tucker) Cline,
and grandson of James M. and Minerva F. (Metzker)
Cline and Harvey Monroe and Eva Louise (Cummings)
Tucker, all deceased. He is survived by his wife of
41 years, the former Sylvia Hindle of the United
Kingdom; sister Rebecca Setterstrom (John) of
Emporia, KS; son, Stephen M. Cline (Carol);
grandson, Jacob Cline (Brooke); granddaughter,
Sydney J. Cline; Godson, Jacob Uriccio; and several
nephews and nieces.
Gary Cline's remarkable experience of serving in
three military branches: Air Force, Army, and Navy-
holding 13 ranks from Airman Recruit through Navy
Commander-is chronicled in his candid and engaging
memoir, "Tours of Duty". After completing one
college year with the Air Force National Guard, he
enlisted in the Army in 1959. He trained as a
helicopter mechanic before selection to flight
school. As a Warrant Officer, he flew H-21 cargo
helicopters. He was one of four pilots who completed
a record 32-day cross-country flight from Corpus
Christi, Texas to Fort Richardson, Alaska.
After six years with the Army, he graduated from the
University of Nebraska, Omaha and subsequently
enrolled in US Navy Officer Candidate School. Gary
Cline saw duty as navigator aboard the Navy tanker,
USS Mispillion, making several deployments to
Southeast Asia. His next tour was as Executive
Officer aboard the minesweeper USS Woodpecker, home
ported in Sasebo, Japan. Following orders took him
to Charleston, SC, where he was the Chief Engineer
aboard the USS Vesole. His first Command was Captain
of the USS Beacon, a patrol gunship home ported in
Little Creek, Virginia. The Beacon was deployed to
the Caribbean to protect shipping in the vicinity of
Cuba. In 1973, he was assigned as an Exchange
Officer with the Royal Australian Navy, serving with
the Australian Mine Warfare and Patrol Boat Forces,
headquartered in Sydney Harbor.
After a two-year stateside deployment at the Surface
Force Pacific in San Diego, he was given a shore
command: Commanding Officer, Military Sealift
Command, in Pusan, Korea. Gary Cline was the
Operations Officer for Naval Station and Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Cuba, before returning to Charleston
for a tour as Chief Staff Officer of the Mobile Mine
Assembly Group. He also served in the Office of
Defense Representative, Pakistan, attached to the
American Embassy in the capital city, Islamabad,
during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.
Pakistan President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq awarded him
the "Sitara-I-Imtiaz" (Star of Excellence), the
highest medal awarded to foreigners. He is the first
US Naval officer to receive this recognition. After
completing a distinguished military career, Gary,
with Sylvia, established a successful import
business. In 2001 they retired, but continued to
travel the world, mainly on passenger cruise ships.
He excelled at carpentry, making useful items until
commandeered by neighborhood children to make toys!
He enjoyed Dixieland Jazz and found an interest in
antique cars. His first entry at the Charleston
British Car Club Day was an Austin Seven, which won
'Best in Show.' Gary Cline had a great regard for
the Catholic missionaries he encountered in his
travels, particularly the Salesians who operate
orphanages around the world. He was impressed with
the manner in which they live simply among the
people and provide job training for the young
adults.
In 2006, the Clines entered full communion with the
Catholic Church, becoming faithful members of Our
Lady of Good Counsel on Folly Beach. For the past 20
years, he endured treatments for several kinds of
cancer. Special thanks must be made to the
Charleston medical community who cared for him
during his multiple procedures. Dr. Milton Costa,
his longtime GP, was especially attentive over the
years and thought of as a friend. Dr. Arthur Smith
and his team, including Tina Bunke at the MUSC pain
clinic, made the visits almost 'pleasurable.' Also
Dr. Harry Drabkin, Stacy Stewart, and the oncology
team at MUSC were equally supportive, as was Dr.
Joel Cook in MUSC dermatology. Drs. Lee Leddy, Zeke
Walton, and Barrett Willis at MUSC will also be
remembered with gratitude. The lab techs and valets
at Hollings Cancer Center contributed greatly to
making the many visits less stressful, and we thank
them all.
Gary Cline embodied the American spirit. He was
generous, gregarious, pragmatic and prudent. He
treasured the memories of his 'old buddies',
schoolmates, and now will be spinning yarns with the
many friends who are hid with him in 'death's
dateless night.' 'To the world he was just one
person, but to his family he was the whole world.'
The funeral Mass for Commander Gary K. Cline will be
held at Our Lady of Good Counsel, 56 Center Street,
Folly Beach, SC on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 11
a.m., followed by a reception at Fr. Kelly Hall, 106
West Hudson, Folly Beach. In lieu of flowers,
donations are kindly referred to Our Lady of Good
Counsel Catholic Church, (OLGC) P.O. Box 1257, Folly
Beach, SC 29439; or Salesian Missions, 2 Lefevre
Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10801-5710. Visit our
guestbook at [Published in Charleston Post & Courier
on Dec. 14, 2015]
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