Roy L. Kline

Roy Lewis Kline (September 10, 1914 – May 11, 2020) was a decorated naval aviator in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. A veteran of World War II, he distinguished himself as assistant air officer on the staff of Tenth Army during the Battle of Okinawa. Kline later served as Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Randolph M. Pate from 1958 to 1960.

He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and served as the assistant wing commander, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Japan, before he returned to the United States for duty as deputy director for plans and policy (J-5), Directorate, Joint Staff, Office of the Joint Chief of Staff.

He completed the training in June 1936 and was assigned to the Marine detachment aboard the aircraft carrier Saratoga under the command of future World War II hero, then-Captain William F. Halsey and participated in the Fleet exercises with the Pacific Fleet. Kline was detached in June 1937, when he requested flight training and was ordered to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.

World War II

In May 1941, Kline was ordered to the Marine Corps Air Station, Quantico, Virginia, and joined the 1st Marine Aircraft Group under his former superior officer, Colonel Louis E. Woods. Kline was promoted to captain in November 1941 and ordered to Washington, D.C., for duty at the Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department and served consecutively under Rear admirals John H. Towers and John S. McCain. While there he was successively promoted to the temporary ranks of major (May 1942) and lieutenant colonel (September 1943).

Postwar service

In August 1945, Kline returned to Hawaii and joined the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific as Assistant Fleet Aviation Officer and served consecutively under Admirals Chester W. Nimitz, Raymond A. Spruance and John H. Towers. He returned to the United States in April 1946 and assumed command of Marine Air Detachment, Marine Air Reserve Training Command at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile, Michigan.

Kline returned to the United States in February 1962 and joined the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) under Admiral George W. Anderson Jr. as his Marine Corps liaison officer. His main duty was to maintain liaison for the Commandant of the Marine Corps with CNO and advise on Marine Corps matters. He remained in that assignment until November that year, when he was ordered to the Pentagon for duty as deputy director for plans and policy (J-5), Directorate, Joint Staff, Office of the Joint Chief of Staff. Kline remained in that assignment until July 1, 1965, when he retired from active duty after 30 years of commissioned service. For his service at the Pentagon, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit.

Retirement

Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps, Kline moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he worked as an engineer for then newest manufacturing operation of Motorola Company. He remained in that company for next 20 years before he retired for second time in the mid-1980s. Following the death of his wife, Jean Cruikshank, in 2003, Kline remained in Phoenix with the help of his family until 2018, when he moved to the retirement home in Scottsdale, Arizona.