The Computer History Museum recently honored one of the great teams in computing history when it marked the 50th anniversary of the legendary IBM 1401.

The 1401 was really the first business computer, putting unprecedented computing power within the reach of a whole new range of business customers a machine packed with significant technical and business innovation.

A current IBMer said it best when he remarked: … I think of (the 1401 team) as IBMs version of the original Mercury astronauts. They were a team that thrived on challenge. They were driven by curiosity. They were devoted to meaningful innovation. And they aimed high they wanted to change the world. The 1401 will be remembered not just for the technological achievements which were groundbreaking. Not just for the impact on business which was deep. But for their impact on IBM itself.”

A few months before the Computer History Museum event, about 60 members of the team gathered for a reunion in Endicott, NY, where the 1401 was created. This video captures a few of their thoughts and reflections on that great era in computing history.