US Army Bicycles

Genuine WW2 US Army bicycles are amongst the rarest of vintage military vehicles around. Sure, you will see a lot of them at shows but when you have a closer look, hardly any of those are real, complete military production bikes. So few of them are left, especially in Europe, that a bicycle with provable World War 2 US Army use and in any condition is truly a very rare and expensive vehicle.

Gustaaf Desmet's very original and desirable Westfield Columbia Serial N° MG99828.
Note the USAAF sign attached to the upper frame tubes....

Although the US Army had used bicycles for many years before WW2, none were standardized for procurement before 1942. The Army's official use for these bicycles was: 'To provide Transportation for Personnel engaged in Dispatch or Messenger Service'. Of course they were used for many other purposes. They proved a fast and economical way to get around Depots, Camps and Airfields.

The 'Bicycle, Military, Universal' was adopted in October 1942 by the Ordnance Department. It was a military version of the Westfield 'Columbia' and was equipped with heavy duty rims and spokes. It came with a D-Cell powered headlight on the front fender and basic tools were carried in a tool bag attached to the Persons saddle. A tire pump was clamped to the frame.

These bikes were manufactured by both Westfield Columbia and Huffman with only minor differences in parts. Huffman fenders were rounded as opposed to gothic ones on the Columbia, chain guards varied and Huffman front sprockets had a unique whirlwind design.... All parts were interchangeable. Early rubber pedal blocks were replaced with wooden ones later in the war. Early frames had a curved front tube but these were replaced with straight tubes on later models.

This image from the US Army's WW2 Bicycle's Technical Manual shows a Huffman made bike.
Compare the front sprocket and chain guard to those on the MG above....

The webmaster's MG138969 (rear) and G. De Groote's MG120037 (front) were both restored as near as possible to perfection. Getting two original US Army bikes together is not an easy task. There are only a handful of these left in Europe!

Late in WW2 Columbia produced a Women's model. Except for the frame, saddle and a smaller front sprocket, all of the parts are identical to the standard Men's type. Huffman did not produce the women's model.

MG141650 Female Model of the G. Desmet collection.
The metal basket has been welded to the handlebars and is not factory mounted.

At one point the US Army gave the designation 'M305' to the Men's model and 'M306' to the Women's model. The reason is not clear, nor is the date of introduction of these terms. The 'M' designation is however consistent with the Ordnance Corps nomination system of WW2.

US Army Bicycles in use during WW2.....

'Hawaiian Patrol' US Army Signal Corps Photo via Jerry Cleveland

Members of the Intelligence Platoon, HQ Company, 34th Infantry Regiment on patrol in Hawaii. Rifles are carried in leather scabbards on the front forks. Note the Willys MA Jeep in the background...

'Two Army Air Forces Sergeants...' Two Sergeants of the Army Air Forces....., note the pointed 'Elgin Style' handlebar grips and tool bag attached to the saddle.

US Army Signal Corps Photo via Nelson Dionne Jr

'Entertaining Children in Wartime Britain' Still from 'Color of War', Carlton DVD

A GI takes two British kids for a ride at a US Camp in Britain in early 1944. A sign identifying the unit is mounted between the upper frame tubes....

'A day out in England....' Picture from an unknown source via Pierre Verbreyt

Behind this American Serviceman in England during WW2, two US Army bicycles can be seen. Note the headlight on the right is held together with a wire string or an elastic band, indicating the loss of the thumbscrew which keeps bottom and top of the light together. The fender of the bike on the right has its tip painted white for more visibility in the British Black-Out...

'Getting back in shape....' US Army Signal Corps Photo via Gerald Mlynek

Two wounded war veterans from the US Army's Welch Convalescent Hospital are riding Army bicycles as part of their therapy on Florida's Daytona Beach...  Both bikes appear to be Huffman models, evidenced by the chain guards....

'The 9th Air Force in France' US Army Signal Corps Photo

A USAAF Mechanic is working on a P61 'Black Widow' Night Fighter of the 425th Night Fighter Squadron stationed at Vannes, France in October 1944. He left his bicycle on the ground underneath the wing. The close-up below clearly shows it is a standard Men's bicycle. The chain guard seems to be missing.

'Riding out...' Two GIs take their bikes for a ride in occupied Germany at the end of the war in 1945. Looking at the Gothic style front fenders, both bicycles appear to be Columbia models...

Photo from the Webmaster's Collection

Tools and Accessories

All bikes were delivered with a Woodbridge Brass Co made tire pump clipped to the frame and a toolbag attached to the saddle. The toolbag was made by Persons, which also made the saddles. In the toolbag a Morrow wrench (rear axle brake combination wrench) was carried and riders would often add other tools like screwdrivers etc... SNL G-519 of 1943 only lists the Morrow wrench, but the 1949 edition of SNL G-519 also lists a 5" Auto Wrench and a general bicycle wrench.

   

The leather toolbag furnished with the bikes was made by Persons of Massachussets. The set from the G. Mlynek collection shown right, came with the tools shown. The rider had added a shoestring, a small oil can and and a rag to the set.

To secure the bike when left unguarded, many riders carried a bicycle lock or piece of chain with a padlock.

A short length of chain and a YALE made padlock were often used to prevent theft of an unguarded bike. On the right a bicycle lock which locked the wheel to the forks, also made by YALE.

Tires

Tires mounted on the bike were of 26 x 2.125 Size which generally corresponds to modern day Mountain Bike tires. Although most of the tire companies of the period manufactured that size of tire (Good-Year, Firestone, BF Goodrich, etc..) it seems US Royal Master Tires were most commonly used. The US Rubber Company's Chain thread, known as US Royal Chain, may also have been used. Tubes were off the shelf, as were the Schrader valve cores and caps.

   

Markings of original 'US ROYAL MASTER' tires, note the marking 'WAR TIRE'
Tires are from the Craig Johnson Collection

   

Left: 'US ROYAL CHAIN' Markings on original tires
Right: Original tubes, Valve Caps and Cores and tire pump issued with each bike.

Paint color

Like all other equipment of the US Army during WW2, bicycles were painted flat OD (QM Specification ES-N°474, Enamel, Synthetic, olive drab, lusterless flat). Although some unissued parts have been found in a darker Olive Drab, the NOS unissued items shown below cleary illustrate what color the parts were delivered in.

   

The flat OD color on the NOS Handlebars, tire rim and headlight is shown on these pictures.
The handlebars are marked 'Torrington'. Torrington also manufactured the pedals.
The headlight was made by Delta and is marked on the underside, contrary to civilian models which were marked on the top.
The headlight is from the G. Desmet Collection.

How to identify a correct WW2 US Army Bicycle.....

Genuine US Army bicycles are quite difficult to identify since they were based on existing models readily available from civilian shops. Most bicycles you see today are assembled on civilian frames painted olive drab!!... Original WW2 military bikes are extremely rare and if you come across one, it is highly likely it has been restored with non-military parts. The only way to distinguish a real military bicycle from a civilian model is by looking at the number located on the frame underneath the front crank set.... Frame numbers were hand stamped during WW2 and should not be aligned....
Columbia wartime military bicycles have Serial Numbers starting with either 'MF' or 'MG' and are not dated contrary to Huffman made bikes, which are dated and have a Serial Number starting with a letter ('D' and 'H' have been observed) followed by a number.

   

Serial Numbers on Columbia (left) and Huffman (right).
Note the difference in markings between the two brands and the 1942 date on the Huffman frame
(Huffman Frame image via Craig Johnson)

Westfield Columbia Front Sprocket Variations...

Usually the front sprocket encountered on Columbia's is a 'Sunburst' style but I have noticed a 'Heart Shape' variation on several bikes.... This odd sprocket was observed on bicycles with Serial Numbers MG134319 (Mark Chapin's Collection), MG138969 (Mine), MG143313 (Alexis Salomé), MG145375 (Airborne Museum, Sainte-Mère-Eglise, France) and on MG145642 (Gustaaf Desmet). Initially when I restored my bicycle, I suspected it wasn't correct for a WW2 specimen, but seeing it on other bicycles and on at least one WW2 period picture leads me to believe that roughly 10.000 of them were in fact manufactured that way....

The more common design on the left with the variation encountered on five bicycles on the right.....

Westfield Columbia MG145375

One of the few surviving Columbia's in Europe is displayed in the Airborne Museum of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Normandy, France where it sits under the wings of the C47 aircraft. MG145375 was left behind during WW2 and ended up with a local farmer who used it well into the 1970's before donating it to the local museum where it underwent complete restoration...

MG145375 at Ste-Mère-Eglise.  Again note the second type of front sprocket.....

US Army Bicycles in Magazines, Advertising and Movies...

The use of bicycles in large numbers by the US Army did not go unnoticed and they were featured in many magazines and advertisements.

       
Webmaster's Collection via Gerald Mlynek

Two Westfield Columbia adds from 1945 and an add for The Morrow Coaster Brake showing bicycles in military use. 

Still from 'From Here to Eternity', Columbia Pictures DVD

One of few original WW2 US Army bicycles shown in a movie was seen in Fred Zinneman's 1953 epic 'From Here to Eternity'.
A Sgt escorts Prewitt on a march after his refusal to enter a boxing contest.

US Army use of civilian bicycles in WW2

In an effort to help Uncle Sam conserve rubber, gasoline and oil, the US Army tried to set the example by using bicycles instead of motor transport whenever possible.
This seems to have been particularly true at the California McClellan Field, where every available bicycle in the region was bought up by Military personnel and by thousands of civilian war workers right after Pearl Harbor.
The pictures below all illustrate the use of both Army issue and civilian bikes by Military personnel during WW2...

'Saluting the CO...' US Army Signal Corps Picture

Private Lewis Hites salutes his Commanding Officer Colonel John M Clark at McCellan Field, Sacramento, California in 1942. The front sprocket and chain guard of the bike ridden by Pte Hites identify it as a Huffman. The kick stand is different than the standard model and the tool bag is clearly visible. Colonel Clark's bike is a civilian model of the era.

'Ride to Work...' US Army Signal Corps Picture

Officers, Enlisted Men and civilian employees ride their bikes to posts and to their work at McCellan Field, Sacramento, California on May 7th, 1942. Note the mix of official US Army bikes on the left and various civilian models ridden even by Military personnel.

'Aircrew Transport...' US Army Signal Corps Picture

Civilian bicycles are parked in their racks, purposely placed near planes being serviced, by the crews that own them at  McCellan Field, Sacramento, California on May 7th, 1942. All bikes seem to be civilian models; some have a sign added to the frame.

Many civilian bikes were used on airfields and military bases, and some were even painted OD, but they are still civilian bikes and not as rare as genuine Army contract bikes of WW2.

The real thing ???? Or not????

The Columbia shown above was spotted in Normandy during the 2006 D-Day Commemorations. While it looks good at first sight, it is NOT a genuine US Army WW2 issue bike! This is however what most Columbia's look like at Military Vehicle shows.
This is a typical example of a militarized 40's or 50's bicycle. Only the headlight, handlebars and chain guard are identical to the correct WW2 parts. Frame, rims, axles, spokes, seat, fenders, crank set, brake and forks are all different from the real thing....
A very quick way to determine if the frame could be correct US Army Specs is by looking at the head badge. US Army Columbia's have their head badge attached with the screws on the left and right hand side (horizontally) while most civilian frames have it attached by a top and lower screw (vertically).
Note how the black paint is wearing off the whitewall tires....

They are still out there!!!

I spotted this frame at the 2005 Wings & Wheels Show in Ursel, Belgium on August 13th, 2005..... The French owner had it up for sale but after looking at my MG, he decided to keep it for future restoration...... He will have his hands full at it!!.....

   

Picked up at a French farmhouse after spending years outside, some minor scratching revealed the frame number MG6826x.....

1943 Huffman Serial# H127317

A European Owned Huffman

Original Huffman military bicycles are extremely rare in Europe.
One of them resides in the collection of Frenchman Jean Georges who kindly provided images of his well preserved example.

Jean Georges' Huffman with correct roman (rounded) fenders, whirlwind front sprocket and round chain guard. The tool bag and kick stand are not factory issue. 

   

The frame number on the Huffman is barely visible, while some scratching revealed the original Huffman frame head badge....

Westfield Columbia MG138969

Way back when I was about ten, I got hold of what I thought was a WW2 US Army bicycle frame. It later turned out to be a 1950's Schwinn Cruiser frame bearing only very minor resemblance to standard WW2 military bicycles. After seeing the correct type in 'From Here To Eternity' (see above); I started looking for a correct Westfield Columbia or Huffman manufactured example with certified military use., Since very little information was available about the correct military type, it took me some time to know exactly what I was looking for. In the early 90's I got the chance of looking over several of these bikes and from then on the hunt was on. Since 1996 I have owned several models and have now ended up with the one shown: Westfield Columbia Model MG with Serial# MG 138969. The bike was retrieved from a farmhouse near the Huertgen Forest in 2000 and still had the WW2 markings and color, although too badly pitted to keep it that way. It's great fun to ride and always attracts lots of attention..... A full restoration report with Before & After photographs will be posted in the future.....
Meanwhile, here are some images......

As found..... November 2002

           

After complete restoration..... Summer of 2003.......

 ......and at a military bicycle display in Nieuwpoort, Belgium in February 2005....

The above photograph was taken at the 'War on 2 Wheels' Exhibition which I organized in February and March 2005 in Nieuwpoort, Belgium.
For more images of the bicycles on display, click the logo below....

And what about the Columbia Compax Paratrooper?

Folding 'Compax' models were tested by the US Marine Corps but saw no action in Europe in WW2. Although there has been a lot of speculation of the possible use of Compax bicycles in Europe during WW2, there are to date no pictures or records showing the US Airborne troops did actually use them in the ETO. In July 2008, a book was published about the use of these folding bikes, but even that did not come up with proof.

Nearly a year before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the US had started training and expanding their peace time Army by mobilising the National Guard units and preparing them for war. American industries were eager to show they were doing their part and consequently advertisements were published in many of the magazines of the era. The Westfield ad shown below was printed in the November 1941 issue of the 'American Bicyclist'. It is interesting because not only does it show what the standardised US Army bicycle of WW2 would look like; it also mentions the Compax Folding bike being tested by the US Marine Corps. The pictures of the Parachuting Leathernecks with their collapsible bikes were used time and again in different ads and suggested combat use of the Compax. In fact these are the only pictures of US Airborne Troops with Compax bikes........ The Compax was tested during WW2 but it's safe to assume it was not used in combat by the Airborne Troops.

'A "WAVE" on a Compax' Peg Dudley poses on a Columbia Compax folding bicycle at Key West Naval Air Station. The bike is finished in a glossy paint. WAVES stood for: 'Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service' and they were part of the US Navy during WW2.

Picture from an unknown source

'A Simplex, not a Compax......'

The webmaster would highly appreciate more info on the use of the Compax....

A British Bicycle, the Oddball in my US Vehicle Collection

All items in my collection are of US manufacture or manufactured by foreign contractors for use by the US Army during WW2. But when I was offered this British Army bicycle, I just couldn't resist. It seems that these bikes were in fact used by US troops in England or on leave at the French Riviera at the US Riviera Recreational Area (USRRA) at the end of the war.
This bike was made by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) and since it has two rod operated brakes, it is known as the Mark V*; the Mark V having a rear coaster brake. It had served in the Belgian Armed Forces until well into the 90's(!!!!!) when it was acquired and restored by military bicycle enthusiast and good friend, Philip MOREAU. It then went thru a number of collections before ending up in mine in the summer of 2003. The bike is complete, down to the original NOS tool bag, bell and tire pump. The saddle is a Brooks made reproduction, the tires are new.
Philip MOREAU wrote a number of excellent articles on 20th century Army bikes for the French Militaria Magazine and is THE authority on military bicycles in Europe!! He described the Mk V in detail in the March 2003 Issue 212 of the above magazine.

The above described BSA Mark V* bicycle, Frame Number T136102, manufactured in 1944

'Cycling at the French Riviera' These GI's are about to go out on a ride along the French Riviera on British Mk V* bicycles. These bikes were available from the US Riviera Recreational Area in Southern France, located at Nice for Enlisted Men and Cannes for Officers. The Nice Bicycle Center was open from 0800Hr to 1800Hr.

Photo: ECPA via Militaria Magazine

A Prewar Tricycle

This tricycle probably dates back to the 1930's..... It was bought by my father in 1955 and had already seen considerable use then..... I remember sitting in the front at a very young age with my father driving me around...... It had a 1930 Tax Plate but that was probably an add-on over the years.....
It is now undergoing full restoration....

Before disassembly....... August 2002

Tricycles were very popular in Belgium in the middle of the 20th century. They were a handy and inexpensive means of transport. The photograph below, taken in Brussels in 1943, shows a requisitioned Belgian tricycle put to use by the German LuftWaffe (Note the WL marking). Except for the front cargo box, it's very similar to my tricycle.

Webmaster's Collection Photo via Philip Moreau

The image below shows T5 Mendoza from B/326AEB/101AB Div using a Dutch Tricycle to transport equipment to a Supply Dump in Veghel, Holland during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. The tricycle is loaded with two A4 Supply Bundles.
Note the Parachute First Aid Packet tied to the helmet.

Al Krochka Photo from Mark Bando's 'The 101st AIRBORNE-From Holland to Hitler's Eagle's Nest'

My sincere thanks to Gerald Mlynek from Ohio, USA,
who has been a great source of information about US Army WW2 bicycles!!

Go to the next page for more images of Military Bicycles.....