Agents of Faith Exhibition Examines Humanity’s Hopes

A park ranger passing by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial called one morning and said, “Some fools have left a motorcycle at The Wall.”
Agents of Faith Exhibition Examines Humanity’s Hopes
Customized 1994 Harley-Davidson Police Special motorcycle, deposited May 29, 1995 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Bruce White
Catherine Yang
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Year after year, there are veterans who make a pilgrimage to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a black wall with white names of the fallen inscribed into stone. Since the 250-foot long memorial was unveiled in 1982, people have been placing items at the base of the wall to express their grief and gratitude. Out of the over 400,000 things that have been put there over the years, perhaps the painted custom motorbike gets the most attention.

A group of 160 bikers had left it at the wall one day in 1995, and started guarding it around the clock.

Hand-Built Offering

In 1968, Robert Thompson came home to Michigan from his tour with the Marines in Vietnam and took up biking. He picked up the nickname “Hogman,” and became a member of the motorcycle safety and rights organization ABATE. It was the organization that caused him to lead yearly rides to the memorial in Washington.