He was a founder of Delco, and was head of research at General Motors from 1920 to 1947.
Among his most widely used automotive inventions were the electrical starting motor and leaded gasoline. In association with the DuPont Chemical Company, he was also responsible for the invention of Freon refrigerant for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, as well as for the development of Duco lacquers and enamels, the first practical colored paints for mass-produced automobiles.
While working with the Dayton-Wright Company he developed the "Bug" aerial torpedo, considered the world's first aerial missile.
He led the advancement of practical, lightweight two-stroke diesel engines, revolutionizing the locomotive and heavy equipment industries. In 1927, he founded the Kettering Foundation, a non-partisan research foundation.
Another missed opportunity. We had a neighbor, a Doctor, who was "Kets" family doctor. I remember on a couple of occasions he invited me to go with him on a "house call" to Ket's home. I didn't go. I have seen him on a number of occasions around Dayton, generally going in to or coming our of a bank which I think was his, Gem City Bank. GM gave him a new car every year, he bought a Chevy and his driver drove him around in that. Ket was in the car mentioned previously with FDR and Orville Wright. Below this house was a landing field and a hanger, underground, to keep his airplane. On the back of this house was an observatory. Our neighbor in Oakwood, Calvin Werner, had a few patents in conjunction with Ket. I think one was for "retractable landing gear on airplanes." One evening, during WWII, we were visiting next door, Mom and Dad were playing canasta with the Werners, I was doing something with the twin boys, Bob and Chuck and their sister Nancy. The phone rang, they put Calvin through to an airplane, where a test bomber was trying to land, somewhere, Calvin Werner had invented the "gear," .... something was wrong and they thought the gear would not come down .... it was night .... he told them to do a number of things .... he told them to go ahead and land, they did. The signal light had not come on. Never forget that incident ............
