A Lake Hauto Air Force veteran has donated an experimental helmet to the Castle Air Force Base Museum in Atwater, California.

William Gaddes said he came into possession of the helmet, which was used in crew station mock-up studies and in actual simulations of B-52 missions, while he worked at IBM. The company was "heavily involved" in United States manned space missions.Gaddes, who had served during the Korean War, was hired by IBM the same year he graduated from Lehigh University with the first Master of Science degree in Human Factors Engineering. "This discipline involves fitting man into space and other complex systems, primarily military," he said.His first job at IBM was "conducting Human factors studies of the Radar Navigator position on the new B-52 nuclear bomber, which would operate at extreme altitudes for that time. The helmet in question was used in crew station mock-up studies and in actual simulations of B-52 missions," he said.Gaddes eventually became the Project Manager for Human Factors, and the simulation laboratory at the company."IBM designed and developed the guidance system for Gemini, which proved the concept of orbital rendezvous. The helmet was used in mock-ups and in simulations of the rendezvous of the Gemini and another orbiting object. This formed the basis for Apollo, during which IBM played a major role in guidance and in ground systems," Gaddes said. "IBM also was involved in a highly classified United States Air Force manned orbital program called MOL."By then, the helmet had been retired, and in Gaddes' possession. He hoped someday to see it in a museum."There is an identical one in the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum in Washington, DC," he said. "I saw it there several times, so I figured that ours would have historic significance as well. It has found an appropriate home at Castle AFB; and will be cared for by the Curator, who was very glad to get it."Curator Tony Rocha is indeed thrilled with the donation. In a Sept. 15 emailed message to Gaddes, he wrote: "Received the helmet today in good condition. It's a very unique artifact and we are glad you thought of us here at Castle Air Museum."