Culture.Mil - SGT Reckless

Written by Jenifer Chrisman on June 21, 2016.

“I first saw this little lady…when the [First Marine] Division was in reserve for a brief period. I was surprised at her beauty and intelligence, and believe it or not, her esprit de corps. Like any other Marine, she was enjoying a bottle of beer with her comrades. She was constantly the center of attraction and was fully aware of her importance. If she failed to receive the attention she felt her due, she would deliberately walk into a group of Marines and, in effect, enter the conversation. It was obvious the Marines loved her.”

– Lieutenant General Randolph McCall Pate, then-Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps

A combat veteran. A decorated hero. A little red horse.

Sgt Reckless, a small, chestnut-colored mare with three white-stockinged feet and a white blaze on her face, was recruited into the Marines by Lieutenant Eric Pedersen (commanding officer of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Antitank Company, Fifth Marine Regiment) in October 1952. Reckless, originally names Ah-Chim-Hai, meaning “Flame of the Morning,” was purchased at a racetrack in Seoul, Korea, for $250 out of Pederson’s own pocket.

After her purchase, a decision Pederson came to after realizing the need for a horse’s assistance in carrying ammunition, he and his two companions returned to camp near Changdan with “Flame” in a jeep trailer. The need of her assistance was compelling, due both to the limited carrying ability of individual Marines (three to four rounds per man, the shells weighed 24 pounds apiece) and the need to move quickly to avoid counter-battery fire resulting from the heavy back blast of the antitank recoilless rifle (which made concealing its firing position all but impossible).

That night, after meeting the rest of the men, she was renamed “Reckless” after the nickname given to the reckless rifle and put in the care of Private First Class Monroe Coleman. She was then put through “hoof” camp by Platoon Sergeant Joseph Latham.

After the first few days, Reckless’ diet generally consisted of a usual horse’s fare, but was occasionally supplemented with the Marine’s own food. She enjoyed scrambled eggs, bacon and buttered toast, chocolate bars, hard candy, shredded wheat, peanut butter sandwiches and mashed potatoes, as well as coffee, cola, beer, whiskey and bourbon.

As time passed, Reckless learned how to get in and out of the jeep trailer (which was only 36” by 72”), how to take cover on the front lines (she would hit the deck when her front leg was tapped), to head toward a bunker at incoming rounds (when, “Incoming, incoming!” was yelled) and to carry loads (six rounds normal, eight to ten if necessary) on her packsaddle.

She quickly proved herself a true Marine. Although she took fright the first time the weapon was fired, she continued supplying the troops and appeared calm by the time the gun was placed into the last firing position (tactics for the gun were to fire four or five times per spot, then move to a new position).

During one raid, “Raid Charlie,” to take the hill known as Detroit, Reckless made 24 ammo trips of six rounds each (totaling 3,500 pounds), marching over 20 miles. But she truly proved her mettle during the 72 hours of fighting at the Battle of Vegas. Reckless carried, from the ASP (Ammunition Supply Point) to the firing site, between six and eight rounds per trip, traversing a section of incline of 250 feet of turning at 45 degrees. She made 51 trips that first day (estimated at over 35 miles) carrying more than 9,000 pounds of ammo, and received a shrapnel wound over her eye and a cut on her left flank. Once taught, she made a number of those trips on her own. Although she appeared a little lame the next morning, she continued carrying ammo throughout the battle.

Reckless and the regiment were assigned to an amphibious exercise, but she became seasick and was unable to haul ammo due to a storm forcing a change of plans. The ship ran out of her rations on the return and she became ill again on the oatmeal and cabbage she was fed until another ship resupplied her. She definitely wasn’t a seaman and was never invited back by the Navy.

Reckless continued her career as an ammo carrier until the truce was signed in July of 1953 and was then moved to a new position with the 2^nd Battalion from the Imjin River to the Panmunjom corridor where she strung communications wire. By the time she was publicly recognized for her bravery and received her sergeant’s stripes at a formal ceremony by Lieutenant General Randolph McCall Pate many of her old friends had been transferred.

Sgt Reckless stepped on American soil on November 10, 1954, after many of the Marines she had served with expressed their desire to see her brought over. U.S. Marines Corps Headquarters denied the request, as she was not government property. After reading her story in the Saturday Evening Post, Executive Vice-President Stan Coppel, Pacific Transport Lines, brought her over free of charge on one of the company’s ships.

After a morning of posing for the cameras and later toasted on a stage at the Marines’ Memorial Club, she rode up to the 10^th floor on an elevator that night as the guest of honor at the Marines’ 179^th birthday celebration. She stood at the head of the table enjoying cake and floral centerpieces, then rode up one more level to the ballroom where, after participating in the official cake-cutting ceremony, she received the slice of cake reserved for the most-honored Marine present.

Reckless stayed with the Pedersens for a time before transferring to Camp Pendleton, where she became the property of the First Marine Division Association, but was under the care of her beloved 5^th Marines. She made many marches and guest appearances and gave birth to three colts and one filly (Fearless: 1957, Dauntless: 1959, Chesty: 1964). Her fourth died a month after birth.

General Pate promoted Reckless to staff sergeant on August 31, 1959 and she was retired with full military honors on November 10, 1960. She remained at Camp Pendleton and was provided with mess and quarters in lieu of retirement pay.

Reckless was injured in 1968 and had to be put to sleep on May 13, 1968, at the estimated age of 19 or 20. Her honors include a memorial erected to her at the base of the Camp Pendleton stables (1971); two Purple Hearts, a Good Conduct Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation with star, a National Defense Service Medal, a Korean Service Medal, a United Nations Service Medal and a Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, all of which she wore or her scarlet and gold blanket (funds for which were taken up by “Her Marines”); and the first race at the Aqueduct racetrack in New York was named “The Sgt Reckless” in her honor. She also had two articles in the Saturday Evening Post (April 17, 1954, and October 22, 1955) and a book written about her, “Reckless: Pride of the Marines,” by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew C. Geer, published in 1955.

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