Hi Gang,
Posted this on a motorcycle forum and thought folks here would really enjoy it. Really cool image of an 82nd Airborne MP named Chad Conway. Found it here http://thenewcaferacersociety.blogspot.com/2009/03/conways-belt.html
"Corporal Chad Conway astride his WLA in the streets of a ruined Berlin in 1945. Conway was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division's Military Police Platoon. The saddle of his bike is covered in fur and the handlebar grips are equipped with leather fringes.
The uniform consists of an 'IKE' jacket, wool riding breeches and high leather legging top 'Cavalry' boots. Conway tops off his uniform with a leather kidney belt adorned with a painted 'All American' Divisional sign
Large leather waist or 'kidney' belts (above) were a popular accessory for motorcyclists of the 1940's... It gave the rider support and protection of the lower back while riding the 'hard tail' motorcycles on bad roads for prolonged periods of time. They were not available from the Quartermaster Corps, but many riders acquired them directly from Harley-Davidson dealerships or other sources."
I've been collection 1940s editions of Harley-Davidson magazine "The Enthusiast". In the letters section many pre-war motorcyclists wrote in to say that since they were familiar with motorcycles before the war, were allowed to be motorcycle riders in the army. Soldiers stationed all over the world continued to receive copies of the magazine and many wrote letters to The Enthusiast throughout WW2. While I could never say with absolute certainty that Chad was a pre-war enthusiast, its obvious that he is NOW an avid motorcyclist due to the tassels and privately-purchased and embellished "riding belt" (kidney belt nowadays). You can almost guarantee he was an avid post-war enthusiast!
Clint
Posted this on a motorcycle forum and thought folks here would really enjoy it. Really cool image of an 82nd Airborne MP named Chad Conway. Found it here http://thenewcaferacersociety.blogspot.com/2009/03/conways-belt.html
"Corporal Chad Conway astride his WLA in the streets of a ruined Berlin in 1945. Conway was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division's Military Police Platoon. The saddle of his bike is covered in fur and the handlebar grips are equipped with leather fringes.
The uniform consists of an 'IKE' jacket, wool riding breeches and high leather legging top 'Cavalry' boots. Conway tops off his uniform with a leather kidney belt adorned with a painted 'All American' Divisional sign
Large leather waist or 'kidney' belts (above) were a popular accessory for motorcyclists of the 1940's... It gave the rider support and protection of the lower back while riding the 'hard tail' motorcycles on bad roads for prolonged periods of time. They were not available from the Quartermaster Corps, but many riders acquired them directly from Harley-Davidson dealerships or other sources."
I've been collection 1940s editions of Harley-Davidson magazine "The Enthusiast". In the letters section many pre-war motorcyclists wrote in to say that since they were familiar with motorcycles before the war, were allowed to be motorcycle riders in the army. Soldiers stationed all over the world continued to receive copies of the magazine and many wrote letters to The Enthusiast throughout WW2. While I could never say with absolute certainty that Chad was a pre-war enthusiast, its obvious that he is NOW an avid motorcyclist due to the tassels and privately-purchased and embellished "riding belt" (kidney belt nowadays). You can almost guarantee he was an avid post-war enthusiast!
Clint
