[1] He joined the United States Air Force during World War II, serving in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1943 to 1946, and achieving the rank of First Lieutenant.
[3] He received a degree in structural engineering from the University of Illinois in 1948, and moved to Wyoming to work in that field for the company that later became Texaco.
[3][1] On June 13, 1983, Governor Edgar Herschler appointed Cardine to a seat on the Wyoming Supreme Court.
[2][1] During his tenure as Chief Justice, he initiated an alternative dispute resolution program as well as arranged meetings between himself, legislative leaders, and the Governor to exchange ideas on how to better serve the state.
[2] While continuing to serve on the court in 1993, Cardine helped to establish the Trial Lawyers College with Gerry Spence.