Sgt. Reckless

Staff Sergeant Reckless (c. 1948 – May 13, 1968), a decorated war horse who held official rank in the United States military,[2] was a mare of Mongolian horse breeding. Out of a race horse dam, she was purchased in October 1952 for $250 from a Korean stableboy at the Seoul racetrack who needed money to buy an artificial leg for his sister.[3] Reckless was bought by members of the United States Marine Corps and trained to be a pack horse for the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Anti-Tank Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.[2] She quickly became part of the unit and was allowed to roam freely through camp, entering the Marines' tents, where she would sleep on cold nights, and was known for her willingness to eat nearly anything, including scrambled eggs, beer, Coca-Cola and, once, about $30 worth of poker chips.

She served in numerous combat actions during the Korean War, carrying supplies and ammunition, and was also used to evacuate wounded. Learning each supply route after only a couple of trips, she often traveled to deliver supplies to the troops on her own, without benefit of a handler. The highlight of her nine-month military career came in late March 1953 during the Battle for Outpost Vegas when, in a single day, she made 51 solo trips to resupply multiple front line units. She was wounded in combat twice and was given the battlefield rank of corporal in 1953 and then a battlefield promotion to sergeant in 1954, several months after the war ended. She also became the first horse in the Marine Corps known to have participated in an amphibious landing, and following the war was awarded two Purple Hearts, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, inclusion in her unit's Presidential Unit Citations from two countries, and other military honors.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 26, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, War, Reader Recommendation, Twentieth Century, Courage, Bravery, Heroism and Valor

Ninety-five Years of the Shenandoah Queens

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 24, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Agriculture, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century

Mystery Illustration 107

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 19, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Packaging, Wrapping, and other Protective Measures, Twentieth Century

In The Blink Of An Eye: A James Bond Fan Film

Posted By: Paul - Mon May 30, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Movies, Spies and Secret Agents, Homages, Pastiches, Tributes and Borrowings, Children, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century

Mystery Illustration 106

Posted By: Paul - Thu May 26, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Twentieth Century

Follies of the Madmen #533

Posted By: Paul - Sun May 22, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Domestic, Technology, Advertising, Twentieth Century

Sol Bright

His full name: Solomon Kamaluhiakekipikealiʻikaʻapunikukealaokamahanahana Bright Sr.

Posted By: Paul - Wed May 11, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Music, Wild West and US Frontier, South Pacific, Twentieth Century

The Torre Galatea Museum

Posted By: Paul - Mon May 09, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Art, Surrealism, Museums, Europe, Twentieth Century

Las Floristas Headdress Ball

Posted By: Paul - Thu May 05, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Charities and Philanthropy, Fashion, Headgear, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century

Coral Castle, Florida

Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 30, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Statues, Monuments and Memorials, North America, Twentieth Century