This information was sent to us by:
Ernest “Wayne” Cox
Austin County Veteran Service Officer
979-865-6482 Office
979-551-2029 Cell
979-865-3783 Fax

As part of articles leading up to Memorial Day, I want to keep alive the memory of Sergeant Reckless – America’s War Horse and how she saved many Marines in one of the major battles of the Korean War, THE BATTLE OF OUTPOST VEGAS.

When a horse senses danger, its instincts tell it to run away as fast as possible. But during the 1950-53 Korean War, one mare would run towards it: Sergeant Reckless – the only horse in US history to have been promoted to the rank of sergeant. Bought for $250 in 1952 by a US marine corps lieutenant at Seoul Race Track from a young Korean boy who needed the cash to buy his sister an artificial leg, the small horse would become America’s greatest war horse.

Although she was bred as a racehorse, she was part Jeju, a local breed known for its hardiness. That toughness served her well when she became a pack animal trained to carry ammunition for the Anti-Tank Company of the 5th Marines in 1952. The marines called her Reckless, after the recoilless rifle for which she carried ammunition. The cannon was often dubbed the “reckless” rifle because it was so dangerous to handle. “Reckless was all alone when she joined the Marines,” Robin Hutton wrote in her 2014 book “Sgt. Reckless. America’s War Horse.” “Because horses are ‘herd’ animals, the Marines became her herd. She bonded so deeply with them that Reckless would go anywhere and do anything to help her adopted family.”

 

 

The Battle of Outpost Vegas occurred March 26-30 1953 along the 38th parallel. The battle was extremely bloody with the 1st Marine Division taking over 1000 causalities. The four-legged hero braved minefields and hailing shrapnel to deliver ammunition to the gun sites. In one day alone, Sergeant Reckless made 51 trips from the Ammunition Supply Point to the firing sites, most of the time on her own. Sergeant Reckless carried 386 rounds of ammunition on her back (over 9,000 lbs) and walked over 35 miles through open rice paddies and up steep mountains with enemy fire exploding at the rate of 500 rounds per minute. Wounded twice, she never stopped. She even shielded Marines going up to the line, and helped carry the wounded to safety. There’s no telling how many lives she helped save. Despite only measuring about 13 hands high, this pint-sized equine became an American hero. Sergeant Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts for her valor and was officially promoted to staff sergeant, a distinction never bestowed upon an animal before or since.

 

 

In November 1954, Sergeant Reckless stepped foot on American soil and was housed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, where she was treated well and honored as a war hero. She was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in 1959, receiving a 19-gun salute and 1,700-man parade, and retired from active service the following year. While at Camp Pendleton, the horse bore three colts and a filly, and lived the rest of her days in peace until her death in 1968.

This video chronicles the adventures of Sgt. Reckless – PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS STRONG LANGUAGE IN THE VIDEO AND IT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES!!!

Floating Vimeo Video