The Calvin H. and Yun Yau Kam Collection primarily relates to the 1969-1971 military service of Calvin H. Kam during the Vietnam War. The collection contains military orders; a U.S. Army flight record and certificate; one color photograph showing soldiers in front of a helicopter; and sixty-eight (68) slides that provide a glimpse into his military activities and experience, such as military encampments, personnel, and operations, formation flying, and scenic shots and people of Cambodia and Vietnam. In addition to the materials on Calvin, five (5) black-and-white photographs and two (2) clippings relate to Yun Yau Kam, Calvin's father, who served during World War II and the Korean War. The clippings note Yun Yau's appointment to 2nd Lieutenant and a citation he earned on Iwo Jima for establishment of an outdoor theater. The photographs include Yun Yau's college graduation ROTC picture, military visits and camps, and an aerial shot of Iwo Jima.
Dates
- circa 1940s-1970s (bulk dates 1970s)
- Majority of material found within 1970 - 1979
Creator
- Kam, Calvin H. (Person)
Language of Materials
All materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.
Conditions Governing Use
The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.
Extent
0.2 Cubic Feet (1 half width letter size document box)
Abstract
Yun Yau Kam served in the U.S. Army for 19 years and was the father of Calvin H. Kam. Calvin H. Kam was born in Hawaii and enlisted in 1969, completing flight school in 1970. The collection contains military documents, photographs, and slides relating to the military service of Calvin H. Kam during Vietnam and photographs and clippings related to his father's, Yun Yau Kam, service during World War II and the Korean War.
Biographical Note: Calvin H. Kam
Calvin H. Kam was born in Hawaii and lived there through high school. After high school he attended Eastern Washington University (Cheney, Washington). While there, Kam recieved his army commission via the university's Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program.
Kam's first duty station was Fort Sill (Oklahoma) where he attended artillery branch school. Upon completion, Kam began flight training at Fort Wolters (Texas) and finalized advanced training at Fort Hunter Stewart (Georgia). In 1970, after finishing flight school, he was assigned to the 240th Assault Helicopter Company at Fire Base Bearcat, Vietnam. After a year serving in Vietnam, Kam was assigned to Fort Rucker (Alabama) as a platform instructor. While there, he also received his fixed wing rating, enabling him to fly airplanes in addition to helicopters. After being discharged, Kam joined the Washington State National Guard as a pilot in the Spokane 81st Aviation Detachment and spent 8 years in the National Guard.
After discharge from the military, Kam worked as a Quality Assurance Supervisor at Kaiser Aluminum Trentwood Works. He later left Kaiser and taught science at a middle school, eventually becoming a principal at the middle school level. As of 2018, Kam is currently an adjunct instructor and field supervisor for Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, Washington) and City University (Renton, Washington).
Source:
Biography derived from donor and collection materials.
Further Reading
Simon Dunstan, Vietnam Choppers: Helicopters in Battle 1950-1975. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Philip D. Chinnery, Vietnam: the Helicopter War Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
Kam's first duty station was Fort Sill (Oklahoma) where he attended artillery branch school. Upon completion, Kam began flight training at Fort Wolters (Texas) and finalized advanced training at Fort Hunter Stewart (Georgia). In 1970, after finishing flight school, he was assigned to the 240th Assault Helicopter Company at Fire Base Bearcat, Vietnam. After a year serving in Vietnam, Kam was assigned to Fort Rucker (Alabama) as a platform instructor. While there, he also received his fixed wing rating, enabling him to fly airplanes in addition to helicopters. After being discharged, Kam joined the Washington State National Guard as a pilot in the Spokane 81st Aviation Detachment and spent 8 years in the National Guard.
After discharge from the military, Kam worked as a Quality Assurance Supervisor at Kaiser Aluminum Trentwood Works. He later left Kaiser and taught science at a middle school, eventually becoming a principal at the middle school level. As of 2018, Kam is currently an adjunct instructor and field supervisor for Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, Washington) and City University (Renton, Washington).
Source:
Biography derived from donor and collection materials.
Further Reading
Simon Dunstan, Vietnam Choppers: Helicopters in Battle 1950-1975. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Philip D. Chinnery, Vietnam: the Helicopter War Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
Biographical Note: Yun Yau Kam
Yun Yau Kam was the father of Calvin H. Kam. He joined the army in 1942 and served as a supply officer in the military for 19 years, including during World War II and the Korean War. He was discharged at the rank of Major.
Source:
Biography derived from donor and collection materials.
Source:
Biography derived from donor and collection materials.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated by Calvin H. Kam.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.
- Air pilots, Military
- Bell AH-1G Cobra
- Bell UH-1C (HU-1C) Iroquois (Huey)
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois (Huey)
- Boeing B-52F Stratofortress
- Boeing-Vertol H-47 Chinook Family
- Cambodia
- Douglas AD (A-1, BT2D) Skyraider Family
- Fire Base Bearcat (Vietnam)
- Fire Base Tan An (Vietnam)
- Helicopters
- Johnston Island
- Kam, Yun Yau
- Korean War, 1950-1953
- Operation Arc Light, 1965-1973
- Sikorsky (S-65A) HH-53B Super Jolly
- Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane Family
- Soldiers
- United States. Air Force
- United States. Army. Assault Helicopter Company, 135th
- United States. Army. Aviation Company, 240th
- United States. Navy
- Vietnam
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- World War, 1939-1945
- aerial photographs
- clippings (information artifacts)
- military records
- orders (military records)
- photographic prints
- slides (photographs)
- Title
- Guide to the Calvin H. and Yun Yau Kam Papers
- Status
- Completed - Level 3
- Author
- J. Parent
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Edition statement
- 1st Edition
Revision Statements
- November 2018: Finding aid migrated to ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org