When the small town of Sturgis, South Dakota, welcomed thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts for its annual rally in August, many of them included military veterans.
The tradition dates back to the early days of post-World War II America, where a surplus of new Harley-Davidsons, combined with an influx of young veterans with some disposable income and yearning for the peacefulness of the open road, decided to invest in a “Hog.”
Motorcycle groups began forming, bonding veterans together through shared experiences and the freedom of roaring down the highway.
Motorcycles were vital to the war effort. Soldiers were trained to operate them on the battlefields and discovered they were quick and efficient modes of travel. Harley-Davidson, the legendary American brand that’s been pumping out motorcycles since the early 1900s, was the leading wartime supplier, manufacturing more than 50,000 bikes.
After the war ended in 1945, many of these bikes hit the open market.
“All these motorcycles were sold very, very cheaply, so a lot of soldiers immediately after the war got on wheels,” Paul D’Orleans, a motorcycle historian, told NBC News Digital.
Motorcycles became an image of American pride and freedom in the decades following the war, as depicted in iconic films like “Easy Rider” and “The Wild One” starring Marlin Brando.
“You had a certain group of people with a shared traumatic experience of war, and consciously or unconsciously, they sought each other out,” D’Orleans said.
And it appears the tradition isn’t going anywhere. Eight decades after the war ended, veterans are still riding strong with Vietnam War soldiers having picked up the trend from World War II veterans, and passing their helmets onto Afghanistan and Iraq veterans. The American Legion Riders boast more than 110,000 members in more than 2,000 chapters across the U.S. and a few foreign countries.
In New Jersey, a veteran-led group of motorcycle enthusiasts are not only riding together for camaraderie but also helping fellow comrades struggling with mental health issues.
“I just like the freedom,” said Joe Fricker, member of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Legion Riders. “Getting on there, jumpin’ on my bike. Just cruisin.’”
Fricker told NBC News reporter Sam Brock that it doesn’t matter what problems veterans are going through – the American Legion Riders are there for them.
“We get veterans in and they might be disabled, have PTSD, shellshocked – whatever it is – they can come to us,” Fricker said.
The group provides a sense of community many veterans lose after they leave the service. Rumbling down roads on a motorbike also supplies the adrenaline rush many ex-military members crave.
“We call it wind therapy,” Fonnie Reagan of the American Legion Riders said. “Just being out and ridin.’ Whatever’s going on at home can’t affect you.”
Al Gallaso, a member of the group, thinks of his father, a World War II veteran, when he hops on his bike. He said being involved in the American Legion Riders is “priceless.”
The wind in your hair, the thrill of the open road, the feeling of togetherness. Fricker calls it a “common thread” that binds generations of soldiers.
“It allows us to connect and get together,” he said. “The bikes have changed a little bit … but they’re still Harley-Davidsons and they’re still rolling.”
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