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Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Rankin (October 16, 1920 – July 6, 2009) was the first person to survive a fall from the top of a cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud. He was a pilot in the United States Marine Corps and a World War II and Korean War veteran.
Feb 12, 2015 · Learn how William Rankin, a US Marine Corps pilot, ejected from his F-8 Crusader at 47,000 feet and plunged into a cumulonimbus cloud in 1959. Discover how he miraculously survived the freezing cold, the hail, the lightning and the tree impact.
Jul 26, 2020 · Learn about the incredible story of Lt. Col. William Rankin, who ejected from his F-8 Crusader in a thunderstorm and survived for 40 minutes under his parachute. Read his book, see his photos, and discover the legacy of this aviation hero.
Jul 17, 2023 · Lt. Col. William Rankin was a World War II and Korean War veteran who ejected from his F-8 Crusader jet at 47,000 feet over a thunderstorm in 1959. He endured 40 minutes of free fall, hail, lightning and near-drowning before landing safely in a tree.
Jul 18, 2023 · Lt. Col. William Rankin was a U.S. Marine pilot who ejected from his F-8 Crusader jet in 1959 and survived a 40-minute ordeal in a thunderstorm. He wrote a book about his experience and recovered from frostbite and decompression.
Jun 17, 2016 · In 1959, Lt. Col. William Rankin bailed out of his F-8 Crusader after engine failure and plunged into a thunderstorm. He survived the ordeal with minor injuries and wrote a book about it.
Jun 17, 2016 · William Rankin was a pilot who ejected from his F-8 Crusader in 1959 and survived a harrowing ordeal of 40 minutes in a thunderstorm. Learn how he landed 65 miles away from his ejection point and suffered only minor injuries.
