History of Harley-Davidson: 1940-49, a Decade of Glory
At the beginning of the decade, H-D was just wrapping up a celebration of their win at the Daytona 200.
The 40’s cast a dark shadow in history for the United States. War time efforts were the focus and many luxuries of earlier days were dwindled. Many stories recall of a time where rubber soles for sneakers were sub-par and was the complaint of many would-be pro-athletes developments. Others remember the rationing of food and supplies and reminiscing of times where those concerns were a distant thought. Many manufacturers shifted their focus towards military support including Harley-Davidson, who was a major key in the country’s success.
Motorcycles to the general public are just weekend toys. To others, they are a form of freedom that words cannot fully express: the thought of an open road, exposure to all elements, clean air, and a throaty exhaust note that can clear your mind of all worries. Work-horses however, are not a common description for these two wheeled vehicles. Through constant refinement and product development, HD was capable of creating a motorcycle that fit the bill for military use during World War II.
At the beginning of the decade, H-D was just wrapping up a celebration of their win at the Daytona 200. This race is held to high regard due to its low completion rate, just 15 of the 77 starters finished. Success was achieved by HD’s WLDR motorcycle, the “great-grandfather” of the Sportster, which was wheeled by Babe Tancrede. It is argued that this race was the pinnacle of his 20 year long career. This amazing feat was brought to an abrupt halt in the company’s focus the following year.
A Date that will Live in Infamy
7:55am, Hawaii-Aluetian time, on December 7th, 1941, began a devastating attack on naval base Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. This attack was lead by 360 war-planes that made a major strike on the United States’ Pacific fleet which inevitably kicked off entry into World War II. 2400 people were killed and 1200 were left injured. Many lives were taken while valiant efforts to return fire took place. Congress unanimously voted to go to war with Japan, thus changing the pace for many peoples lives and futures.
Motorcycle development took a turn towards creating two-wheeled vehicles that can handle terrain in several different locations in the world. Initially, orders for HD model XA-750’s were prominent in preparation for exploration in Africa’s desert. This bike featured horizontally opposed cylinders and shaft designs. Only 1100 of these were made prior to shifting focus to what would be a key role in success, the WLA.
HD’s WLA was based on the production motorcycle, the WL, a 45 cubic inch, flat-head, solo-seat, V-Twin motorcycle with genetic traces to the famed “R” series and featured a higher compression (5:1) motor. Modifications were set in place to create the WLA, where “A” stood for Army. Details such as a windshield that incorporated a lower apron, leg shields, black-out lighting, leather saddle bags, skid plates, luggage carriers, safety bars, ammunition boxes, special oil bath air-cleaners, left side rear view mirror, greater quality tool kits and in depth manuals, machine gun scabbards, widened fenders to clear mud, and 2.5” longer shock forks were implemented. This recipe was a winning combination and over 60K units were in service during the war.
The WLA served as a reconnaissance and courier duty vehicles. They also served as scout vehicles at the head of military convoys, which quickly gained them the nickname “liberators”. They were often the first vehicles into towns and villages that were liberated by allies. Capturing the feeling of freedom and ease of mind from a leisurely standpoint, the WLA continued to carry the tradition well into war trenches.
Big Dreams
The end of eastern conflict with Japan came with many tragedies for everyone involved. As the war wound down and many families expecting their soldiers to return home, the story of a young tail-gunner, Wallace Van Sandt, stands out in history. Wallace was gifted a HD WLD from his father as a graduation gift from high school. He had high aspirations of joining the Army Air Corps and planned to return home and marry his girlfriend. He dreamt of living a long fulfilling life and couldn’t even have imagined life could be cut so short.
Prior to his deployment, Wallace soaked in the enjoyment of his Flight Red, 1942 WLD. He logged 19,088 escaping miles on this bike. Those miles were most likely spent thinking about the life ahead of him. Clear and smooth thoughts of a future we all have when finally obtaining an escape that only few can truly appreciate. This motorcycle clearly meant more than just leisure, but an opportunity to be disconnected from fears and expectations. Pure thoughts of joy, maybe even how some day it would be passed down to his own son, who would benefit from the same freedom.