Double Amputee is back on a Harley

'I wasn’t going to let the bad guys win' Wounded Warrior gets back on motorcycle after 3 years

By Cpl. Daniel Wulz     | II Marine Expeditionary Force  | February 12, 2013

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- All motorcycles share similar controls regardless of style or brand. Most of them have manually operated clutches controlled by using the left handle's lever to engage or disengage the clutch and the left foot-pedal used to shift gears up and down. On the right side, both the handle's lever and the foot-pedal are used for breaking the front and rear wheels respectively. This is common knowledge for the experienced rider.

For Sgt. Maj. Raymond H. Mackey (Ret.), former battalion sergeant major of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, all of his breaks and shifting are done completely by his hands. He has custom hand controls designed for racing motorcycles installed on his brand new Harley Davidson Tri-Glide, often called a trike or three-wheeled motorcycle. The specialized controls are a necessity for Mackey.

While on patrol in the volatile district of Nawa, one of Mackey’s Marines slipped and fell into a ditch. Mackey leaned down to pull him up and unknowingly stepped on an IED, triggering an explosion that resulted in him losing both of his legs.