John Kime, 72, Coast Guard Admiral Battled Oil Spills

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Retired Admiral John William Kime, former commandant of the Coast Guard who helped develop the government’s response to oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez accident in 1989, died Thursday. He was 72.

Kime grew up in Baltimore and was inspired to enter the Coast Guard by a promotional spot that aired during a rain delay at an International League Orioles game in 1952.

During his 41-year career, Kime commanded the Coast Guard district in Long Beach, Calif., directed operations for the Coast Guard district in Miami, and was captain of the port in Baltimore.

He was appointed commandant in 1990 by President Bush and served for four years. Under his tenure, the Coast Guard refined its role in responding to environmental disasters such as oil spills and aggressively pursued a drug interdiction policy.

“His legacy can be seen today in how the Coast Guard responds to a broad range of threats and hazards to our maritime, homeland and national security interests,” Admiral Thad Allen, the current commandant, said in a statement.

The United Nations awarded Kime the International Maritime Prize in 1993.

After retiring in 1994, Kime headed ship management companies in the America, Britain, Norway, and Sweden.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use