A statue of a Mongolian Mare, Sgt. Reckless, will be dedicated at a special ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, Virginia on Friday, July 26 at 1 p.m. 

Sgt. Reckless was recognized as a national hero in 1954 for her service in the Korean War and went on to be awarded two Purple Hearts. She was a Marine, but a unique one at that. She was a Mongolian mare that earned the rank of staff sergeant for transporting ammunition in battle, carrying wounded soldiers to safety and shielding them (injuries and all) from enemy fire.

The monument honoring Reckless’ actions, sculpted by Jocelyn Russell, captures her in an uphill stance, carrying a load of ammunition. That is a picture most Marines who served with her will likely never forget. The idea of placing the monument at the Museum came to Robin Hutton, president of Angels Without Wings, Inc., the non-profit sponsoring the monument, after she read about Reckless’ actions in a compilation of horse stories.

As Sgt. Maj. James E. Bobbitt recalled, “It’s difficult to describe the elation and the boost in morale that little white-faced mare gave Marines as she outfoxed the enemy bringing vitally needed ammunition up the mountain.”

The unveiling of the statue is part of a host of events scheduled in conjunction with the Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Signing of the Armistice and the honoring of thousands of Korean War Veterans at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on Saturday, July 27 in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.koreanwar60.com/27july.

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The Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of Korean War Commemoration Committee’s mission is threefold:

HONOR the service and sacrifice of Korean War Veterans, American service members, and their allies who fought heroically to preserve freedom.

COMMEMORATE the key events of the war. The Korean War was the first “hot”conflict of the Cold War and includes both historic battles and offensives, as well as important technological and medical advances.

EDUCATE the American people about the significance of the Korean War. The Korean War is often referred as “The Forgotten War.” The events and battles of the war are little known by the American public today. The committee seeks to further the public’s awareness of the history and impact of the Korean War.