Retired Marine Corps Major Rick Cline Named La Mirada’s 2026 Hometown Hero
Veterans Appreciation Concert Honors Marine Aviator, Engineer, and Community Leader
Some people serve their country for a season. Others make service the defining principle of an entire lifetime. During La Mirada’s annual Veterans Appreciation Concert at Neff Park, retired Marine Corps Major Rick Cline was recognized as the city’s 2026 Hometown Hero, an honor reserved for individuals whose dedication extends far beyond military service and continues to enrich the community they call home.
For Cline, that commitment began nearly fifty years ago. Unsure of what path to take after graduating from high school in Seattle, Washington, he accepted the advice of a counselor and applied to the United States Naval Academy. It proved to be a decision that would shape every chapter of his life.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Cline was exposed to every branch of military service before ultimately choosing the United States Marine Corps. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1980, he entered a profession built on discipline, courage, and responsibility. Those values would soon be tested.
Cline selected Marine Aviation and began the demanding process of becoming a helicopter pilot.
The training was rigorous. Days were filled with instruction, endless hours in the cockpit, and learning to make split-second decisions where mistakes could cost lives. He eventually qualified as a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter pilot, flying several missions each day while mastering the aircraft that would become his workplace and, at times, his greatest challenge. One training flight in Alabama nearly ended in disaster.
Flying just 300 feet above the ground, Cline suddenly experienced an engine failure. With almost no altitude to spare, there was little time to think. Relying solely on his training, he successfully executed an emergency landing and walked away unharmed. It became one of the defining moments of his career. “There wasn’t time to panic,” he has recalled. “Training simply took over.” That calm under pressure would become a hallmark of his military service.
Life as a Marine aviator meant constant preparation. Whether flying training missions in California or deploying overseas with Marine Expeditionary Units, Cline understood that every hour in the air prepared him for moments when lives could depend on both skill and judgment.
Later, he became a maintenance pilot, responsible not only for flying but also ensuring helicopters remained mission-ready for deployment. The work required precision and accountability.
On one aircraft carrier landing, powerful deck winds pushed his helicopter dangerously close to the ship’s superstructure. Once again, experience, composure, and disciplined flying prevented what could have become a catastrophic accident.
Looking back, Cline credits the Marine Corps with teaching him one lesson above all others.
No matter the circumstances… Don’t get rattled. That mindset has guided him ever since.
When asked about the greatest sacrifice of military service, Cline’s answer isn’t about deployments or danger. Instead, he points to the families. Every sailor, Marine, soldier, and airman leaves behind spouses, children, parents, and loved ones who quietly shoulder their own burdens while waiting for someone to come home. “They can still count on their service member,” Cline reflected, “just not physically.” It is a reminder that military service is rarely an individual sacrifice. Entire families serve alongside those wearing the uniform.
For many veterans, retirement marks the conclusion of military service. For Rick Cline, it simply marked a new mission. Using the aerospace engineering education, he earned before entering the Marines, Cline joined Rockwell/Boeing, where he spent the remainder of his professional career supporting America’s defense systems.
His work influenced military aircraft, missile systems, satellites, and combat modeling technologies used to help military leaders make critical battlefield decisions. Working alongside teams of engineers, Cline helped develop sophisticated simulations capable of predicting troop requirements, evaluating battlefield conditions, and improving the effectiveness of America’s defense capabilities. His contributions even extended to patents involving combat simulations and weapons modeling. Although few people will ever know his name because of that work, countless service members have benefited from technologies he helped develop.
Retirement offered another opportunity, not to slow down, but to serve closer to home. After settling in La Mirada, Cline became deeply involved in civic life. He has served as a commissioner for both the Community Services Commission and the Planning Commission, while remaining active with the La Mirada Veterans Coordinating Council, helping organize ceremonies and events honoring those who served. Neighbors know him not only as a decorated Marine officer but as someone who quietly steps forward whenever help is needed.
His commitment reflects the same philosophy that guided him throughout his military career.
When asked what advice he would offer younger generations, Cline doesn’t talk about medals, promotions, or success. Instead, he offers two remarkably simple thoughts. “Spend less time on social media. A good place to start is having more face-to-face contact with others.” And perhaps even more importantly: “Don’t think of yourself first. Think of others first.” Those aren’t merely words. They are the principles by which Rick Cline has lived his life.
The title of Hometown Hero is about more than military accomplishments. It recognizes individuals whose character, leadership, humility, and continued service inspire an entire community. Rick Cline’s story stretches from the halls of the United States Naval Academy to the cockpit of Marine helicopters, from engineering America’s defense systems to volunteering in La Mirada. His career demonstrates that service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.
Sometimes, it simply finds a new place to serve.
As the community gathered at Neff Park for the Veterans Appreciation Concert, La Mirada not only celebrated a Marine Corps Major but a neighbor, mentor, volunteer, and public servant whose life’s work has been defined by duty.
Congratulations to Retired Marine Corps Major Rick Cline, La Mirada’s 2026 Hometown Hero … a recognition that is both well-earned and richly deserved.
