Flight helmet used by Colonel James E. Randall
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1965
name: label: Owned by
content: James E. Randall, American, 1926 - 2019
label: Distributed by
content: United States Air Force, American, founded 1947
label: Manufactured by
content: Columbus Milpar & Manufacturing Co., American, founded 1946
notes: label: Caption
content: James Randall served with the 562nd Tactical Fighter Squadron during the Vietnam War. On October 13, 1965, he was shot down near Dien Bien Phu while flying his F-105 Thunderchief “Thud” fighter bomber on his 44th combat mission of the war. Forced to eject from his aircraft, Randall lost his helmet while hiding in the jungle to await rescue. In 1990, a collector named Dominique Eluere found the helmet at an Army surplus stall in Ho Chi Minh City, a thousand miles from where Randall had been shot down. Eluere spent the next 22 years trying to track down Randall, with the help of Gary "Paco" Gregg, another Vietnam veteran. Finally, in 2013, 86-year-old Randall was reunited with his flight helmet, 48 years after he lost it.
label: Description
content: A flight helmet worn by James E. Randall. The helmet is white with a black visor, a green rubber air mask, and black rubber hose. Nylon webbing and metal fasteners attach the mask to the helmet. A black adhesive label above the visor Reads “MAJ RANDALL.” Above the visor on the front of the helmet are a yellow decal on the proper right side, and a blue, red, and white, and yellow decal on the proper left side. The decal on the right reads "JIM" in stylized lettering. The decal on the left depicts a caricature of an eagle standing on a lightning bolt and holding a sword and shield. Red text around the eagle reads “562ND TAC FIGHTER SQ. / TAC’S STRONG RIGHT ARM.”. A black metal label with silver text is on the left side where the mask fastens to the helmet. The label reads “FSN 1660440-5553 / COLUMBUS MILPAR / & MFG CO. INC. / PART. NO 6004459.”
place: label: Place made
content: Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Viet Nam, Asia
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Tools and Equipment
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Military Uniforms
label: Exhibition
content: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Essie Aldrich Randall and Wish of a Lifetime from AARP
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2023.70.1.1-4
objectType: label: Type
content: helmets
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: metal, fiberglass, polystyrene, nylon, rubber
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (2023.70.1.1): 11 × 11 13/16 × 11 13/16 in. (28 × 30 × 30 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (2023.70.1.2): 7 1/2 × 5 7/8 × 5 7/8 in. (19 × 15 × 15 cm)