Sgt. Reckless honored posthumously

Sergeant Reckless; a horse; was honored posthumously for its endeavours in the Korea War. It was a horse that had an official rank in the US Marine Corps: Staff Sergeant.

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Sgt. Reckless in a firefight

The horse was bought by a lieutenant in the US Marine Corps in order to take off the strain of their troops to carry munition to the battlefield. The British have now honored the horse with the Dickin Medal. The highest commemoration of the British for animals. With high rarity it is given to animals from other countries (US in this case). Another horse was at the ceremony to receive the honors.

Reckless was a part of the company, eating with the men, drinking coffee and beer plus sleeping in the troops’ tents when it was cold.

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Reckless in retirement

The horse was meant to take ammo to the front and take wounded soldiers back to the med station, making up to 50 trips per day.  It trained itself to seek shelter when under fire, but was hit one day. She survived the war and died a natural death in 1968.

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Carrying a 75mm recoilless rifle