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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 2, 2005 Motorcycle used by freedom fighter on display By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune As Americans celebrate their independence this weekend, one local event will highlight a mode of transportation used by a French underground freedom fighter seeking the same thing for his own country during World War II. A 1941 military-issue Indian Scout motorcycle will be on display during the Southern Oregon Historical Society’s "Getting Around" weekend at Hanley Farm in Central Point. Set for today and Sunday, the event is geared at highlighting modes of transportation familiar to Americans from the 1850s to present. Acquired by Herb Sutton of Central Point in the 1970s, the bike was discovered by the daughter of a friend who found it gathering dust at the back of an old tavern in a village in France. The bike was ridden — and sold decades later — by a French resistance fighter code-named "The Shark." "We don’t have much information on the guy," said Sutton, who had some information translated from French newspapers by the friend’s daughter, a linguist. Advertisement "Basically he fought until he freed his village then said, ‘You guys go fight the rest of the war, I’m opening up my bar,’ " Sutton said with a laugh. "The Shark" was in his 80s when he sold the bike. "So I guess he stuck it out back and it sat there for between 55 and 57 years until he decided to sell it," Sutton said. Sutton said the bike, which has since been completely rebuilt, still bore its military paint job and special graphics for "The Shark." Sutton, who served in the Navy during World War II, said if the old cycle could talk, it would have a story or two to tell beyond the faded yellow news clippings and tales of a small village. The cycle was one of thousands produced in the United States during the war effort. With American involvement in the war imminent by the late 1930s, the U.S. War Department in 1938 called for American motorcycle manufacturers to design and produce a 500 cubic centimeter motorcycle that could ford streams, not overheat at idle or at lower speeds and sustain a speed of 65 mph. Initially, both Indian and Harley-Davidson competed for the war contract. Indian built a bike to "perfect specs" while Harley built a bigger, faster bike. Ultimately, the Army saw a need for and approved purchase orders for both the Harleys and Indians. Harley Patrick, public relations and marketing coordinator for the historical society and a self-proclaimed military history buff, said it was exciting to have such a unique artifact for display at the weekend event. "Not only is this bike an incredible artifact of American history, but it also serves as an important symbol of what July Fourth is all about," said Patrick. "Everyone who’s seen it so far has said it’s just incredible looking." Other modes of transportation on display for the weekend include horse-drawn hearses from the Civil War era and cars from the early 1900s. The second of the summer "First Weekends at Hanley" series, the event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3-12 and seniors. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers dvd-r helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Home Equity Loans Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Canadian Pharmacy Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Air Purifiers Advertisement s