Friday Feature: Sergeant Reckless

Reckless with the Recoilless Rifle, Courtesy of http://www.sgtreckless.com

While I normally feature an artist on Fridays, I thought that this Friday I would do something a little different. Anyone who knows me knows that I love horses. Immensely.
Anyone who knows horses knows that they are incredible creatures.
Then I heard of a horse who takes the word incredible to a whole new height.
Meet Sergeant Reckless.
She was a little Mongolian mare, sold by a Korean boy to American forces during the Korean War. The boy needed to buy a prosthetic leg for his sister , the American forces needed a horse.
She had been a racehorse, but she turned into a hero that all of us can admire, not just racing fans.
She learned how to carry loads of ammunition during battle, and to ignore the sounds of ammunition and explosions (anyone knowing horses will know how incredible that is in itself).
She learned to walk in certain directions all by herself to reach other troops. During battle.
She learned to get attention during quiet times in the most amazing ways - by eating hats, scrambled eggs, pancakes, and much more.
You can see her website, run by a fan and dedicated person who wants the world to know about this wonderful horse. The website is here: http://www.sgtreckless.com/Reckless/Welcome.html and the Facebook fan club page is here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/sgtreckless/
Still doubting the awesomeness of little Reckless?
Here is an excerpt from the Sgt Reckless website:

One of Reckless’ finest hours came during the Battle of Outpost Vegas in March of 1953.  At the time of this battle it was written that, “The savagery of the battle for the so-called Nevada Complex has never been equaled in Marine Corps history.”

Reckless Enjoying a Flower Arrangement, Courtesy of http://www.sergeantreckless.com

 Furthermore:

During this five-day battle, on one day alone shemade 51 trips from the Ammunition Supply Point to the firing sites, 95% of the time by herself.  Shecarried 386 rounds of ammunition (over 9,000 pounds – almost FIVE TONS! -- of ammunition),walked over 35 miles through open rice paddies and up steep mountains with enemy fire coming in at the rate of 500 rounds per minute.  And as she so often did, she would carry wounded soldiers down the mountain to safety, unload them, get reloaded with ammo, and off she would go back up to the guns.  She also provided a shield for several Marines who were trapped trying to make their way up to the front line.  Wounded twice, she didn’t let that stop or slow her down. 

 What she did saved the lives of many, and kept the morale up of many more. For her valor she earned two Purple Hearts, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with star, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, all of which she wore proudly on her red and gold blanket.


What's even better? She survived the battle, and the forces brought her back to California where she could live out her days peacefully. She had parades in her honor, and even had 3 foals. She lived to a ripe old age of 20 and was buried at Stepp Stables at Camp Pendleton.


In 1997, TIME magazine did a special collector's edition, "Celebrating Our Heroes", which chronicled the lives of many heroes, including Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and many others. Among them? A 900 pound, 14.1 hand high Mongolian Mare, named Reckless. 
I salute you, Reckless.

Arwendnesdays with Arwen the Wonder Dog: Lest We Forget

Image from Dogs In Canada

Today is Remembrance day and I, Arwen the Wonder dog, wanted to honor all of the troops, past, present and future with a post about their heroism. One thing we often forget, however, is that animals also played roles in earlier wars. Horses, and dogs helped our troops quite often. Here is a true story, taken from the Dogs In Canada website, written by Amanda Kelly, about a Canadian dog named Gander. He was a Newfoundland breed of dog and turned out to be quite a hero. Please read on:

Big, hairy and goofy, ‘Gander’ was a typical Newfoundland Dog – and an unlikely Canadian war hero. Nevertheless, this gentle giant was destined to carve out a spot in history and in the hearts of Canadian veterans of the Battle of Hong Kong.

Humble beginnings

Gander began his life as ‘Pal,’ the beloved pet of Ron Hayden, manager of Shell Oil at the Gander Airport in the early 1940s. Pal was a frequent visitor to the airport, where he often assisted Hayden in refueling aircraft by towing a sled carrying the 45-gallon drum of fuel. When not working, Pal kept himself busy visiting with the soldiers assigned to Gander’s busy airbase and serving as a popular playmate for the town’s children.

During one particularly exuberant playtime, Pal accidentally scratched young Joan Chafe on the face, leaving scrapes requiring a doctor’s attention. Upset, his owners discussed the possibility of having Pal euthanized, but no one, least of all the children, wanted to see this happen. Instead, Pal was gifted to members of the first Battalion of the Royal Rifles of Canada stationed in Gander at the time. Renamed in honour of the town, Gander became the unit’s mascot.

Gander goes to Hong Kong

Hoping to deter hostile action by Japan, Britain began reinforcing its out-post in Hong Kong in October 1941. Canada sent a force of 1,975 troops, consisting primarily of two battalions – the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada. As a newly minted member of the Royal Rifles family, Gander sailed from Vancouver with his new companions on October 27, 1941.

Upon arriving on November 16, the Canadian units were assigned the task of defending Hong Kong’s beaches. On December 8, the Japanese attacked Hong Kong. What ensued were 17-1/2 days of intense fighting known as the Battle of Hong Kong.

A hero is born

Poorly equipped and outnumbered, defences on mainland Hong Kong were quickly defeated and the Japanese army turned its attention to the island of Hong Kong, where Canadian forces bravely stood their ground. After two demands for surrender were summarily rejected, Japanese forces invaded the island under the cover of darkness on December 18.

Gander is reported to have engaged the enemy on no fewer than three separate occasions during fighting around the Lye Mun Barracks. The first came when a wave of attackers landed on the beach and Gander rushed at them, barking furiously and charging at their legs. Not long after, he again charged and barked, snapping at advancing Japanese troops and forcing them to alter their course – effectively diverting them away from a group of injured Royal Rifles trapped only a few feet beyond him, and saving them from death or capture.

It is for his final act of bravery that Gander is most remembered. Pinned down under intense fire, a group of injured soldiers watched in horror as a live grenade rolled into their midst. Acting quickly, Gander grabbed the grenade in his mouth and ran. Though killed in the subsequent explosion, Gander’s last heroic act saved the lives of several of his human friends.

Honouring Canadian heroes

Fifty-nine years later, Gander’s sacrifice was finally recognized. For the first time since 1949, the Dickin Medal was presented for an act “of conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in wartime.” Gander is the only Canadian dog to have received the medal. Accepting on his behalf was Fred Kelly of Campbellton, N.B. – one of Gander’s primary handlers and caretakers during his time with the Royal Rifles.

Known as the “Animals’ Victoria Cross,” the Dickin Medal was established in 1943 by Maria Dickin, founder of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), an English veterinary charity. The bronze medal honouring the work of animals in war was awarded by the PDSA 54 times between 1943 and 1949. Gander’s posthumous induction in 2000 marked a revival and since then the number of Dickin recipients has increased to 62. Other honourees include 32 pigeons, 25 dogs, three horses and one cat.

Those who gathered in Ottawa in 2000 remembered the sacrifices of all who fought in Hong Kong, a defence made at great human cost. When Allied forces were overrun on Christmas Day 1941, approximately 290 Canadian soldiers were killed in battle. Survivors endured nearly four years of captivity in prisoner-of-war and Japanese work camps where 267 more would perish. For those counting, that is a total of 557 dead Canadian heroes. Gander made it 558.

Lest we forget.

Gander’s memory lives on today in the hearts and minds of Canadian children from coast to coast, thanks to innovative educational material developed by Veterans Affairs Canada.
Recognizing that teaching young children about war can be difficult, the department uses cartoon relatives of real-life Dickin Medal winners to introduce concepts of remembrance on a level even the youngest reader can understand.

Lest we forget. Please thank a veteran for their service today. We wouldn't be the same without them.
and Arwen