Sergeant Reckless

Recoilless Rifle horse for the US Marines with official rank

Sergeant Reckless was a Mongolian breed of horse bought by the US Marine Corps in 1952 in Korea. She carried the recoilless rifle for the marines into battle and would often share tents with her fellow marines when the weather was cold. She often delivered supplies and wounded and became the first horse the Marines had that could deliver supplies fully on her own as she could learn routes from memory. She made 50 such trips with no handler in one day to resupply Marines during one battle.

She was wounded twice in battle, participated in an amphibious landing, and was known for her willingness to eat almost anything put in front of her including: scrambled eggs, beer, coke, and at one time about $30 of poker chips.

Sergeant Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and Presidential Citation medal among others. Sergeant Reckless learned to lie down when the cry “Incoming!” was yelled and also was taught how to crawl through barbed wire. No one was allowed to ride Sergeant Reckless.

Sergeant Harold Wadley who served with Sergeant Reckless said this: "The spirit of her loneliness and her loyalty, in spite of the danger, was something else to behold.”

Valor comes in many forms and Sergeant Reckless proves that