Statue unveiling for heroic war horse Reckless draws tears, even from toughest Marines

CAMP PENDLETON – Harold Wadley has many memories of serving with then Cpl. Reckless at the Vegas Outpost during the Korean War.

But the scene he’ll never forget is the horse’s silhouette on the ridge as she carried ammunition to Marines as incoming and return fire collided over her head. Then he’d see her return – alone from the front lines – carrying wounded Marines.

During her time with the 5th Marines at the outpost, on one day alone, during the Battle of Outpost Vegas, Reckless made 51 trips covering 35 miles.

“God made all horses,” said Wadley, 83, from Indian Mountain, Idaho. “Only on Reckless, he’d placed an angel that rode her those nights at Vegas. I don’t know how she lived through it except for that.”

On Wednesday, Wadley was in dress blues recounting his story for more than 600 people who had come to Camp Pendleton for the dedication of a bronze statue in the mare’s honor. The dedication marked exactly 64 years to the day Reckless joined the Marine Corps.

Wadley was among dozens of Korean War veterans, Marine Corps command staff, Marine veterans and community members who came to salute the small chestnut Mongolian mare purchased by Lt. Erick Pederson, leader of the 5th Marine Regiment’s recoilless rifle platoon, for $250 at a Seoul racetrack.

The statue – created by Jocelyn Russell – is similar to one unveiled in honor of Reckless in July 2013 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia, a day before the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

A collaboration between Robin Hutton, a Camarillo-based author, and retired Marine Col. Richard B. Rothwell, president of the Camp Pendleton Historical Society – the statue was dedicated in a ceremony at the Pacific Views Event Center. Four Marine Corps horses and their Marines flanked Reckless’ statue as the ceremony closed with the playing of Taps.

For Hutton, who uncovered the horse’s story and in 2014 wrote a book, “Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse,” the ceremony was the culmination of a 10-year mission to make sure Reckless would never be forgotten.

“I need to thank you for just being Reckless,” Hutton said, overcome by emotion. “This is an amazing journey you’ve taken us on. You’ve changed my life forever. Reckless wasn’t just a horse, she was a Marine.”

Lt. Col. Rafael Candelario, executive officer of the 5th Marine Regiment, accepted the Korean War Veteran Medal posthumously for Reckless.

“This is an important legacy of the Regiment,” he said. “We have all types of heroes. Reckless is more than a horse. She contributed to the success and livelihood of Marines and sailors. She displayed courage in the face of extreme danger, something any Marine can emulate.”

For the Korean War veterans, Reckless is a symbol of the often-forgotten conflict. She is the only horse to be buried with full military honors at the Stepp Stables on the base. She also was awarded two Purple Hearts and is the only animal ever awarded an official rank in the Marine Corps. Her final rank of staff sergeant was given to her in 1959 by Gen. Randolph McCall Pate, then commandant of the Marine Corps.

In Marine jargon, recoilless rifles were known as “reckless rifles.” And that’s how the mare got her name. The Marines trained her to carry 75 mm recoilless rifle rounds. Pederson trained Reckless to lie down during incoming fire and pick her way through barbed wire.

Reckless would go into mess halls and eat pancakes with maple syrup, and she’d hang out with Marines in tents and drink beer. She earned more than her stripes when the Chinese attacked the Vegas outpost about 60 miles north of Seoul in March 1953.

Seeing Reckless’ statue brought back a flood of memories to Debbie McCain. Her father, Col. G.M. “Jinx” McCain, served as a captain with Reckless in Korea.

At 6 years old, Debbie McCain wanted nothing more than to meet the mare she had heard so much about. When her father was transferred to Camp Pendleton, her dream came true.

“We got out here and the first thing we did was go to the stables and visit Reckless,” McCain, 67, said following the ceremony.

McCain, of Fallbrook, spent every weekend with Reckless, then at the base stables at Camp Pendleton.

“I brushed her, put ribbons on her and loved on her,” she said. “When I had my birthday, my mother made one cake for me and one for Reckless.”

Later, as a teen, McCain was back at Camp Pendleton. Her father had been wounded in the Vietnam War and was recovering on base.

Between her visits with him, McCain would got to the stables to see Reckless.

“Whenever she saw me, she’d nicker and come running over,” McCain said.

McCain was there in May 13, 1968 when Reckless, at 20, died after getting a severe infection.

“She was down and the vet was working on her,” she said. “I went and said ‘goodbye.’

“She gave her whole life to the Marines. When they bought Reckless, history was made and a Marine was born. If it hadn’t been for her, there’s literally a generation of families that wouldn’t be here today. All because of a little horse.”

Source: Ocregister.com