M14 Forum

Gus Fisher · August 26th, 2011, 09:42 AM

Staff Sergeant Reckless,

A true combat hero. Lest we forget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIo3ZfA9da0

sam68 · August 26th, 2011, 09:57 AM

Very cool story animals are amazing, great story yesterday on the news about one of the Navy Seals KIA (helicopter crash in Afghanistan) at his funeral his dog laid by the casket during the entire ceremony.

CharlieEcho · August 27th, 2011, 03:47 AM

Thanks for the reminder.

The same story is told in the book "Marines of the Margarita". The story of Camp Pendelton, from it's beginning to 1970. I recall hearing of the horse while at Pendelton in 1968. Sgt. Reckless died in May, I joined in June.

The book mentions that the first time Reckless was around the "rifles", at the first blast, "she left the ground with all four feet. Her eyes turned white and she broke out in a sweat. But with each succeeding blast, she grew calmer."

The book also states the Sgt. Reckless gave birth to "Fearless" in 1957 and "Dauntless" in 1959. Both horses were enlisted into the Marine Corps.

In 1970 Camp Pendelton was home to the only Mounted Color Guard in the Marine Corps. I'm not sure if we still have "mounted Marines" today or not.

I have a few pictures of post WWII "China Marines" with a small detachment of ponies used for transporting supplies.