Raymond Edward Kamm was born in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, on August 25, 1918 to Stanley Kaminski and Florence Ray. His Birth Certificate reads “Raymond Kaminsky” with no middle name, and residing at 3841 W. 22nd St., Chicago. By the time he had turned one year of age, the family had moved to 3504 Greenwood Avenue, Berwyn, Cook Co., IL, as shown in the 1920 US Census.

Not long after, Ray's parents were divorced. Ray stayed with his mother and entered school in Berwyn. His mother, Florence, remarried in about 1929 to “Mattie” Fogarett. The new family is recorded in the 1930 US Census of Berwyn as Matthew and Florence Fogarett with 11-year-old Raymond Kaminski.

Ray started high school in Cicero, IL, but left for a tour in the CCC's. He finished high school in Palatine, IL. Later, he graduated from Aeronautical University in Chicago. Ray was employed by Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo, CA, in 1939 and left for one year of service at Curtis Wright Aero. Corp. in St. Louis, MO. While there, he changed his name to Kamm, married Katherine Drewes, and moved back to California in 1941. He stayed with Douglas for the remainder of his career.

From an newspaper article, source and date unknown: "A 25-year basic assignment in military aircraft structural engineering for Douglas has brought Ray Kamm to his present appointment as chief designer for the heavy logistical transport program. Before assuming his new duties, Kamm was assistant chief of design sections for the Aircraft Division, a post he held since moving to Long Beach from the El Segundo plant when the division was formed in 1961. Among the many successful military aircraft produced during a period of six years when he was chief of structural design were the F4D Skyray and FSD Skylancer interceptors; D558-I and D558-II research jet and rocket aircraft; A-3 Skywarrior and A-4 Skyhawk attack bombers. Kamm also contributed to proposal and research efforts on a supersonic transport, an assault transport and the concept for the heavy logistical transport. He joined Douglas as a draftsman in 1939 and shortly thereafter began steady progress to posts as designer, assistant section chief and chief of structures. Kamm was graduated in 1939 from Aeronautical University, Chicago, with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. He also has taken graduate courses in Mathematics, structures and physics at the University of California at Los Angeles."

Ray and Katie had a son, Steven, in 1944 and a daughter, Barbara, in 1948. The family lived in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and Huntington Beach, CA. Ray and Katie divorced in 1966. Raymond then retired and married Patricia Hannon the following year. They moved to San Luis Obispo, CA, where he flew, fished, and played golf. Ray died in 1993 after a long series of health problems, mostly dealing with his heart. He was cremated and buried at sea.

Ray apparently was very supportive of the Rutan Voyager, first imagined in 1981 by Jeana Yeager, Dick Rutan, and Dick’s brother Burt Rutan, and received a Letter of Appreciation from Voyager Aircraft, Inc. for his assistance. In 1986, the Rutan Model 76 Voyager was the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling and was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager. This collection primarily contains his memorabilia from that flight.

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