J. William Kime

Admiral John William Kime

Admiral John William Kime (c. 1934 – 2006) served as the 19th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from May 31, 1990 to June 1, 1994.

J. William Kime was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. At the age of ten, he moved with his family to Baltimore, Maryland. In 1951, he graduated from Baltimore City College, and was accepted into the School of Pharmacy at the University of Maryland, but declined the admission offer for financial reasons.

Soon thereafter, he accepted a job at the local General Motors plant, installing glove boxes in Chevrolets. The following year, he saw a television advertisement on Coast Guard careers, which inspired him to enroll at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

In 1957, he graduated second in his Academy class. Upon graduation, he served aboard CGC CASCO before assuming command of LORSTA Wake Island in 1960. Continuing his education, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master's degree in naval architecture and marine engineering and the professional degree of naval engineer in 1964. He also was in charge of the structural design of the Polar Class icebreakers and was the first engineer officer in CGC BOUTWELL home ported in Boston, Ma. In 1977, he became a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and was assigned to Headquarters as Assistant Chief of the Merchant Marine Technical Division. His other assignments included command of MSO Baltimore in 1978-81, Deputy Chief of the Office of Marine Environment and Systems, 1981-82; Chief of the Seventh Coast Guard District Operations Division, 1982-84; Chief of Headquarters Office of Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection, 1986-1988.

Prior to becoming Coast Guard Commandant, he served concurrently as Commander of the Long Beach, California-based 11th Coast Guard District and Pacific Regional Coordinator for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. It is noteworthy that Kime was promoted from rear admiral (two-star) to admiral (four-star), never having held the three-star rank of vice admiral.

As Commandant, he was passionate about maritime safety and environmental protection issues, and oversaw implementation of the landmark Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and established the position of Drug Interdiction Coordinator. In the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, he pioneered how the Coast Guard prevents and responds to oil and hazardous chemical spills, significantly minimizing environmental damage. The groundwork he laid can also be seen in how the Coast Guard responds to a broad range of threats and hazards to maritime, homeland, and national security interests. His vision set the stage for the Coast Guard’s transition to focused organizational competencies in prevention and response. He led the service during the end of the Cold War, collapse of communism, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as increasing operations in traditional mission areas.

Upon his retirement in 1994, he brought his leadership to the maritime industry, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Management Companies in the United States, United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden. Until 2005, he served as the U.S. representative to BIMCO, the world’s largest private shipping organization.

He died of cancer in Towson, Maryland on September 14 2006 at age 72. A memorial service was held at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel, Arlington, Va. Sept. 29 followed by interment in Arlington National Cemetery on Coast Guard Hill.

Sources: ALCOAST 464/06 (R 142239Z SEP 06), ALCOAST 469/06 06 (R 152010Z SEP 06), ALCOAST 475/06 (R 202141Z SEP 06), and L.A. Times obituaries, Sept. 20, 2006.

==References==

• United States Coast Guard Biography
• Obituary-Adm. John W. Kime, 72, Coast Guard Commandant