William Henry Rankin

About

Pilot and author known for being one of two people who survived falling from a cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud. He served as a pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. In 1959, he was flying between Massachusetts and South Carolina when he experienced complete engine failure, resulting in him being forced to eject himself from the plane at 47,000 feet in a storm. 

Before Fame

He served in the U.S. military before and after his fall through the clouds. 

Trivia

When he parachuted from his plane, he suffered immediate frostbite and decompression caused him to bleed from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The fall lasted 40 minutes due to his parachute opening prematurely. He eventually landed in a forest in North Carolina, where he was transported to a hospital. He later wrote The Man Who Rode the Thunder, detailing his harrowing experience. The book is out of print and carries a hefty price tag as a rare book. 

Family Life

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Associated With

Chesley Sullenberger also became famous for surviving a plane crash.