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Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse Hardcover – July 28, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"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."
— Publisher's Weekly
"Reckless is more than a story about a horse. It is a story of Marines and their horse. The ingenuity and compassion of Marines, even in battle, has always amazed me. These two traits, combined with a special horse we now know as Reckless, produced a legacy and a legend that lives today in Marine Corps lore. Robin Hutton has written the preeminent book on Reckless and her heroics."
— General Walter E. Boomer, USMC (Ret.), Former Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and Marine Commanding General in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Gulf War.
"Robin Hutton has given us a stirring, extraordinary book about the true wartime journey a filly and her fellow Marines traveled together. Sgt. Reckless got the job done and Robin got the history right."
— Victoria Racimo, co-author of Alicia Keys’s The Journals of Mama Mae and LeeLee and founder and president, Palomino Entertainment Group
"In Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse, Robin Hutton has masterfully crafted the definitive story of Reckless, the great little Korean mare who so boldly served alongside Marines of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, 5th Marine Regiment, in the Korean War carrying ammunition under enemy fire. Hutton has shared Reckless with the world, ensuring her bravery will never be forgotten."
— Colonel Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.), publisher and editor, Leatherneck, Magazine of the Marines
"After reading Robin Hutton's stirring, heartfelt saga of the courageous, intelligent Sgt. Reckless, you wonder why she wasn’t promoted to general. Robin’s account evokes echoes of War Horse but this story of a great equine Marine is true. Make sure you have a comfortable chair and a box of tissues because traveling the road with Sgt. Reckless will take you to places you’ve never been before. Both Robin and her inspiration are to be commended."
— Michael Blowen, former arts and film critic for The Boston Globe and founder and president of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement
"The Korean War is often referred to as 'the forgotten war,' but, among Marines, the memories of that bloody and frozen conflict are strewn with the names of heroes, brave actions, and incredible sacrifices. Robin’s new book about one of those forgotten warriors— one with four legs and a quirky appetite—adds detail, drama, and color to the documentation of the Korean War. Her research has brought new information and depth to the story.
Bravo!"
—L in Ezell, director, National Museum of the Marine Corps
— Publisher's Weekly
"Reckless is more than a story about a horse. It is a story of Marines and their horse. The ingenuity and compassion of Marines, even in battle, has always amazed me. These two traits, combined with a special horse we now know as Reckless, produced a legacy and a legend that lives today in Marine Corps lore. Robin Hutton has written the preeminent book on Reckless and her heroics."
— General Walter E. Boomer, USMC (Ret.), Former Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and Marine Commanding General in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Gulf War.
"Robin Hutton has given us a stirring, extraordinary book about the true wartime journey a filly and her fellow Marines traveled together. Sgt. Reckless got the job done and Robin got the history right."
— Victoria Racimo, co-author of Alicia Keys’s The Journals of Mama Mae and LeeLee and founder and president, Palomino Entertainment Group
"In Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse, Robin Hutton has masterfully crafted the definitive story of Reckless, the great little Korean mare who so boldly served alongside Marines of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, 5th Marine Regiment, in the Korean War carrying ammunition under enemy fire. Hutton has shared Reckless with the world, ensuring her bravery will never be forgotten."
— Colonel Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.), publisher and editor, Leatherneck, Magazine of the Marines
"After reading Robin Hutton's stirring, heartfelt saga of the courageous, intelligent Sgt. Reckless, you wonder why she wasn’t promoted to general. Robin’s account evokes echoes of War Horse but this story of a great equine Marine is true. Make sure you have a comfortable chair and a box of tissues because traveling the road with Sgt. Reckless will take you to places you’ve never been before. Both Robin and her inspiration are to be commended."
— Michael Blowen, former arts and film critic for The Boston Globe and founder and president of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement
"The Korean War is often referred to as 'the forgotten war,' but, among Marines, the memories of that bloody and frozen conflict are strewn with the names of heroes, brave actions, and incredible sacrifices. Robin’s new book about one of those forgotten warriors— one with four legs and a quirky appetite—adds detail, drama, and color to the documentation of the Korean War. Her research has brought new information and depth to the story.
Bravo!"
—L in Ezell, director, National Museum of the Marine Corps
From the Inside Flap
She Wasn't a Horse—She Was a Marine!
She might not have been much to look at—a small "Mongolian mare," they called her—but she came from racing stock, and had the blood of a champion. Much more than that, Reckless became a war hero—in fact, she became a combat Marine, earning staff sergeant’s stripes before her retirement to Camp Pendleton.
This once famous horse, recognized as late as 1997 by Life magazine as one of America’s great heroes—the greatest war horse in American history, in fact—has unfortunately now been largely forgotten. But author Robin Hutton is set to change all that. Not only has she been the force behind recognizing Reckless with a monument at the National Museum of the Marine Corps and at Camp Pendleton, but she has now put between hard covers the full story, the rousing—
sometimes comic, sometimes tragic—life of this four-legged war hero who hauled ammunition to frontline Marines and inspired them with her relentless, and reckless, courage.
Seabiscuit, Misty of Chincoteague, Dan Patch, Man O' War, Secretariat... Reckless belongs in their number as one of America's most beloved horses. Hers is a story to inspire young and old, military veteran and casual equestrian. Here is the story of the horse they called Reckless.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By
Amazon Customer
on July 17, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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As one of those little girls who was just horse crazy - and never had a horse as a child - I read A LOT of books and stories about horses. Horses, to me, were mystical and beautiful. It wasn't until I was well into adulthood did I finally realize that dream of being owned by a horse.
And now that I have a personal relationship with horses, I very much enjoyed the way Robin has brought Sgt Reckless to life. The wonderful detail of Reckless' antics, feelings and attitude made me more than once nod and say "Uh huh! That's a mare for ya!"
Robin's passion for this little mare and her story is evident in the detail not just about Reckless, but also in laying the groundwork for the military action that Reckless participated in. This book is easy to read for young teens and up, and has loads of photographs of Reckless. Sgt. Reckless must have been an incredible horse to have left such an impression on the men and women who served with her and knew her. They left such great and detailed stories about her, leaving Robin with excellent material with which to craft this captivating story of this most noble of creatures - The Horse.
And now that I have a personal relationship with horses, I very much enjoyed the way Robin has brought Sgt Reckless to life. The wonderful detail of Reckless' antics, feelings and attitude made me more than once nod and say "Uh huh! That's a mare for ya!"
Robin's passion for this little mare and her story is evident in the detail not just about Reckless, but also in laying the groundwork for the military action that Reckless participated in. This book is easy to read for young teens and up, and has loads of photographs of Reckless. Sgt. Reckless must have been an incredible horse to have left such an impression on the men and women who served with her and knew her. They left such great and detailed stories about her, leaving Robin with excellent material with which to craft this captivating story of this most noble of creatures - The Horse.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By
OpenBookSociety dot com
on July 28, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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Brought to you by OBS reviewer JoAnne
Reckless began life in Korea just before the war. She was bred as a racehorse, and owned Huk Moon (a pseudonym), the young jockey who rode her. He had owned her dam, Ah-Chim-Hai, or Flame of the Morning. He was given her as a gift for his many acts of bravery and kindness during World War II. Because he loved her so much, when she was finally bred, he named her offspring Flame of the Morning also. But when her mother died suddenly, he wanted nothing to do with the young filly.. So a friend of his took her to be raised by one of his own mares, and it wasn’t until some time later when he saw her playing with other young horses that he realized she was much like her mother and his love for her grew. When war struck in 1950, Kim and his family had to temporarily leave their home, taking Flame with them. When they returned, two years later, there wasn’t much left.
The family did what they could to survive; but one day his sister Chun, working in a rice paddy, was badly hurt. A worker next to her stepped on a landmine, and Chun’s leg was mangled and would have to be removed. It was soon after that, that Kim realized he would have to sell his horse to purchase a prosthetic leg for his sister. This is where the marines stepped in.
I won’t go into a lengthy detail of the recoilless rifle. It is enough to say that it took three or four men to carry it, and more to carry each 75mm shell. It was a powerful gun, and each man could carry no more than two shells, due to the weight. It was backbreaking work. Watching his men run up and down the hill to secure more shells was dangerous work, and Lt. Eric Pedersen, commander of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, knew something needed to be done.Read more ›
Reckless began life in Korea just before the war. She was bred as a racehorse, and owned Huk Moon (a pseudonym), the young jockey who rode her. He had owned her dam, Ah-Chim-Hai, or Flame of the Morning. He was given her as a gift for his many acts of bravery and kindness during World War II. Because he loved her so much, when she was finally bred, he named her offspring Flame of the Morning also. But when her mother died suddenly, he wanted nothing to do with the young filly.. So a friend of his took her to be raised by one of his own mares, and it wasn’t until some time later when he saw her playing with other young horses that he realized she was much like her mother and his love for her grew. When war struck in 1950, Kim and his family had to temporarily leave their home, taking Flame with them. When they returned, two years later, there wasn’t much left.
The family did what they could to survive; but one day his sister Chun, working in a rice paddy, was badly hurt. A worker next to her stepped on a landmine, and Chun’s leg was mangled and would have to be removed. It was soon after that, that Kim realized he would have to sell his horse to purchase a prosthetic leg for his sister. This is where the marines stepped in.
I won’t go into a lengthy detail of the recoilless rifle. It is enough to say that it took three or four men to carry it, and more to carry each 75mm shell. It was a powerful gun, and each man could carry no more than two shells, due to the weight. It was backbreaking work. Watching his men run up and down the hill to secure more shells was dangerous work, and Lt. Eric Pedersen, commander of the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, knew something needed to be done.Read more ›
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By
Jean
on July 21, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I love true stores, and this is one that is most remarkable. There were more photographs in the book that I expected, which added even more meaning to the story. Loved the details as told by the people who were there; loved the drama; the ending was poignant. One of my favorite stories of all time.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By
Clare
on July 24, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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If you want to read a wonderful, book about a true war hero then I've got one for you. Sgt Reckless America's War Horse by Robin Hutton is a true gem. It fills in all of the gaps from previous books about this marvelous, courageous little red-haired Mongolian mare. Delving deeper into her "hoof" camp in the field, her unique personality and her courageous, determined non-stop work as the ammo carrier at the Battle of Vegas that earned her not only her Sgt stripes but the love of the entire USMC. I couldn't put this book down and finished it's 319 pages (which included the author's notes) in two days. I've already started to read it again. This is a MUST read for any Marine or any military person who loves a good true war story. It's also a fantastic book for any animal lover who wants to know what lengths this little mare would go to in protecting her men. The only true NCO in the Marines, those stripes meant something to her men. She WAS and always will be SSgt. Reckless. Read about her
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By
oldhorseartist
on July 18, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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Robin Hutton has brought America's War Horse back to life. From fame in the 1950s to obscurity and back to fame the little Korean war horse lives again. Many of us have every book written about her, have the Breyer statue of her, and love her as if she were actually with us in the flesh. Thank you Robin for all you have done to bring our girl to the world in all her astounding glory. Sgt Reckless is truly as your title says, America's War Horse, pride of the Marines and of all of us.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By
Kathryn A Connelly
on July 22, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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All I can say is WOW. What a wonderful job Robin did in bringing Reckless back to life for all to enjoy her story. I love a good "true animal story" and am always reading history non-fiction. To get both in one book is wonderful. I pre-ordered this book as soon as I heard about it, and lo and behold it arrived earlier than anticipated and I spent the weekend 50 years back in time on a battlefield in Korea with a small mare and the men who loved and respected her. The photos were beautiful and the trading cards at the back were an extra special bonus. Well done!
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