Sergeant Cline was a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously injured in South Korea on 17 August 1950 and returned to duty on 19 August 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 12 October 1950.

Cline was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.