Our Squadron is for all Marines who are or were part of Marine Air Command and Control. The name honors a small team of Marines who created an all weather bombing system in 1949 at Point Magu, California that evolved to become the Air Support Radar Team (ASRT). The equipment was sent to the Korean War as part of the 1st MAW, 1st MTACS. The radio call sign was Devastate Charlie. We are part of the Marine Corps Aviation Association. Click on the MCAA logo below for more information or to join. If you want to post stories or photos send them to craighullinger@gmail.com Semper Fi

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Man Who Rode Thunder




William Rankin a pilot in the United States Marine Corps is The Man Who Rode Thunder when he ejected from his F8 Crusader on top of a cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud. He had a very bad day that summer of 1959 by any pilot’s standard as not only did his engine fail but his parachute deployed in the middle of the thunder storm. Surviving an ejection from 47,000 feet into a thunderstorm is truly amazing.