Overview

This is the complete and captivating account of how a would-be Korean racehorse became one of the greatest Marine Corps wartime heroes. Amid an inferno of explosives on a deadly minefield in the Korean War, a four-legged marine proved to be a heroic force of nature. She moved headstrong up and down steep, smoky terrain that no man could travail confidently. In a single day, this small Mongolian mare made fifty-one round-trips carrying nearly five tons of explosives to various gun sites. Sergeant Reckless was her name, and she was the horse renowned for carrying wounded soldiers off the battlefield and making solo trips across combat zones to deliver supplies. A widely celebrated national hero, Reckless was first featured in 1954 in the Saturday Evening Post and in 1997 when Life magazine published an edition lauding history's one hundred all-time heroes. Equine enthusiast Robin Hutton learned about Sergeant Reckless and spearheaded the effort to commission a monument at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, near the Marine Corps Base Quantico. In July of 2013, the statue was unveiled. A second monument is planned for Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California, where Reckless lived out her days and is buried. Hutton has now written a fascinating full biography of Sergeant Reckless, who earned two Purple Hearts for her heroic efforts, among other military decorations. Hutton has spoken with the marines who fought alongside Reckless and tells the complete and captivating tale of how a would-be Korean racehorse became one of the greatest Marine Corps wartime heroes. Sgt. Reckless brings the legend back to life more than half a century later.

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9781483025865

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Robin Hutton has written the preeminent book on Reckless and her heroics. -- General Walter E. Boomer, USMC (ret.), Marine commanding general in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm Animals have been used in war for thousands of years, but few US military animals attained the notoriety of Reckless, a sorrel mare small for her size that joined the Marines during the Korean War and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant...Once home, news of her promotion to Staff Sergeant quickly spread, though that notoriety has since faded. Author Hutton aims to correct that, having spent over eight years researching the remarkable story of Reckless...Stories of fellow soldiers litter the book, backing up claims of her bravery and playful personality (not to mention her love of food and beer). Hutton's passion and admiration for her subject (she also heads an effort to create a monument to Reckless) shines through in this sparkling and engaging portrait of a most remarkable and courageous animal. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Animals have been used in war for thousands of years, but few US military animals attained the notoriety of Reckless, a sorrel mare small for her size that joined the Marines during the Korean War and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant...Once home, news of her promotion to Staff Sergeant quickly spread, though that notoriety has since faded. Author Hutton aims to correct that, having spent over eight years researching the remarkable story of Reckless...Stories of fellow soldiers litter the book, backing up claims of her bravery and playful personality (not to mention her love of food and beer). Hutton's passion and admiration for her subject (she also heads an effort to create a monument to Reckless) shines through in this sparkling and engaging portrait of a most remarkable and courageous animal. -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" Robin Hutton has written the preeminent book on Reckless and her heroics. -- ""General Walter E. Boomer, USMC (ret.), Marine commanding general in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm"""

Animals have been used in war for thousands of years, but few US military animals attained the notoriety of Reckless, a sorrel mare small for her size that joined the Marines during the Korean War and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant...Once home, news of her promotion to Staff Sergeant quickly spread, though that notoriety has since faded. Author Hutton aims to correct that, having spent over eight years researching the remarkable story of Reckless...Stories of fellow soldiers litter the book, backing up claims of her bravery and playful personality (not to mention her love of food and beer). Hutton's passion and admiration for her subject (she also heads an effort to create a monument to Reckless) shines through in this sparkling and engaging portrait of a most remarkable and courageous animal. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) Robin Hutton has written the preeminent book on Reckless and her heroics. -- General Walter E. Boomer, USMC (ret.), Marine commanding general in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm

Author Information

Robin Hutton has spent her adult life working in major event productions and the motion picture business. She has been the writing partner of Tom Laughlin for the last thirty years and is coauthor of The 9 Indispensable Ingredients in Every Hit Film, TV Show, Play, and Novel. Currently she is president of Angels without Wings, Inc., a nonprofit organization that spearheaded the development and dedication of a national memorial to Sergeant Reckless. The monument was dedicated at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on July 26, 2013, and an exhibit inside the museum was also opened at that time. For her charitable work, she was named Patriotic Citizen of the Year for 2014 by the local chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Susan Boyce is an audiobook narrator and an actor who has worked onstage at Trinity Repertory Theater, Worcester Foothills Theater, the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, and every major ragtime and traditional jazz festival in the United States. She has won three AudioFile Earphones Awards.

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