Sonny Barger Timeline

  • Date Of Birth

    Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger, was born in Modesto, California.
  • Mother Left Him At A Young Age

    It was just him and his sister and his alcoholic dad.
  • Joined Army

    Dropped out of school at 16 and enlisted in the army.
  • Kicked Out Of The Army

    They found out he was under-age and enlisted illegally.
  • Joined His First Motorcycle Club

    He joined the "Oakland Panthers" but it wasn't what he was looking for in a club.
  • Started Oakland Chapter Of The Hells' Angels

    He and a group of buddies created the Oakland chapter and joined Hells' Angels from all over California.
  • Wrote Letter To President

    After the Berkeley incident, Sonny wrote the president stating that a group of Hells' Angels would like to go serve in Vietnam. Got a letter back saying that they have to enlist to serve.
  • Fight With Anti-War Protesters

    Him and some Hells' Angels beat up a couple anti-war protesters at Berkeley University during a protest. The Hells' Angels supported the war and didn't think people should go against their own military.
  • Altamont Free Concert

    The Rolling Stones hired the Hells' Angels to be security for a free outdoors concert. Ended up going terribly when a Hells' Angel killed a guy who had a gun.
  • Folsom Prison

    Was sentenced to 10-life for possesion of 37 grams of cocaine. He ended up being released 4 years later.
  • RICO

    Sonny and other Angels were on trial for conspiring an illegal organization. The jury couldn't believe that the Hells' Angels were an illegal organization and they walked free.
  • Throat Cancer

    Sonny got diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. After surgery he had to learn to talk using his throat muscles.
  • Bombing

    Sonny was accused of being apart of an interstate bombing. He served his sentence until 1992.
  • Settled Down

    Moved to Arizona to be with his wife and daughter.