Michael “NewYork Myke” Gary Shelby

MEDALS-RIBBONS: National Defense Service, Republic of Vietnam Campaign

Michael was U.S. Air Force Airborne ROMAD, TAC-P and Bird Dog Crew Chief in Vietnam with the 507th DAS SQ. ensuring successful missions for the U.S. Army 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne.

Michael Shelby’s biography:

Michael Shelby, well known as NewYork Myke, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Myke's dad was a WW2 vet who, along with Myke's grandparents, (who came here from Russia), instilled a fierce sense of patriotism & appreciation of this country in him that has been a cornerstone of Myke's life! 
Myke joined the US Air Force in 1962 signing up for AirCommando/Special Operations. In 1965 he was sent to Vietnam with the 507th Direct Air Support squadron as a TAC-P in support of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne! Upon his discharge in 1966 he attended the University of South Carolina while working as the head instructor at Barkoots Karate School & as security at several Army-Navy clubs in Columbia, South Carolina. On August 4th, 1968 Mykes father died at 44 years old & Myke went back to NY where he cared for his 4-year-old sister & 13-year-old brother. He established a successful real estate business at JFK International Airport, became the founding President of the JFK Rotary Club, a Board Member of the JFK Airport Chamber of Commerce & eventually became its President! Myke has always been a civil rights activist along with being active in the business community, Veterans community & Bikers Rights & in the mid-'80s he became Chairman of the Board of the Anti-Defamation League in 3 Counties in New York! In 1988 Myke moved his family to San Diego, Ca.! In 1993 he purchased SanDiego Harley-Davidson & worked hard to make it the top dealership in the country! In 1996 Myke became the Executive Director of Abate of California advocating for laws beneficial to all motorcyclists, he spearheaded, along with US Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the effort to bring over 10,000 motorcycle riders to the Republican National Convention in SanDiego in 1996! Myke was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame in 2001, 2005 his petition to save the Veterans Memorial at Mt Soledad, drafted with his friend Roger Hedgecock, led to the eventual saving of the Cross at this historic site, & also led to Myke's bid to run for Mayor of SanDiego that same year! Myke was also active in NYC after 9/11, & helped raise the money that established the Widows & Orphans Fund for the Port Authority Police Department which lost 37 police
Officers killed during the terrorist attack along with almost 3,000 other victims of this Islamic terrorist attack!
 In 1999 the Wind&Fire Motorcycle Club made
Myke is their 9th annual Honorary Member & in 2002 he rode with almost 1,000 Firefighters from California to NY City to honor those who died, including 343 firefighters, arriving at GroundZero before the stroke of midnight on 9/10/02! The next day, September 11th Myke led the ride of firefighters all through NewYork City! 
Of all the things Myke has done & for which he’s received recognition, he is proudest of the 39 years that he has ridden his Harley to the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington D.C. on every Memorial Day! As a proud Vietnam Vet, he was there at the Dedication in 1982, he was the Keynote speaker on its 15th anniversary in 1998, he’s proud that he & his wife Petrina have been patched as members of Rolling Thunder & that they are now supporting the Amvets who’ve brought Rolling Thunder to Rolling to Remember! 
Myke's continued goal is to live his life worthy of the sacrifice made by those who gave so much so we can live in this great country & inspire others to do the same! His message to fellow veterans is, you’ve fought for America under horrible conditions, being shot at & worse, so let’s continue the fight here at home & lead the way to save this great country & its God-given freedoms, always threatened by apathy, as much as by adversity! Today Myke works on his podcast Rolling with NY Myke and is excited about all the different opportunities coming his way!