Statue
of Heroic Korean War Horse to be Dedicated at Kentucky Horse Park
Sgt. Reckless Statue Unveiling Honors Mare
Important to U.S. Marines
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 30, 2018) - A larger-than-life,
1000-pound statue of the heroic Korean war horse, Sgt. Reckless, will be
unveiled at a dedication ceremony at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday, May
12, 2018, at 1 p.m. EDT.
The dedication of the
statue at the park follows a more than two-year effort by Marine Corps
veterans and private citizens who have been actively involved in nationwide
efforts to raise money to place the statue at the park. Although Sgt. Reckless has been recognized with bronze
statues at both Camp Pendleton (California) and the National Museum of the
Marine Corps (Virginia), it was the vision of James E. “Ted” Bassett III, a
Marine Corps combat veteran of World War II and former president and chairman
of the Keeneland Association, that she be memorialized at the park.
“We are so honored to be custodians of this beautiful
monument and monumental legacy of a horse small in stature, but big in
courage,” said Laura Prewitt, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “Sgt.
Reckless epitomizes everything great about horses and our relationship with
them.”
Sgt. Reckless, a small Mongolian-bred mare with
a racing background in her native country, became a national hero in 1953 after
she was purchased by U.S. Marines during the Korean War to carry ammunition for
the 75mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon.
During the Battle of Outpost Vegas in March 1953, she made 51
trips up to the gun sites - most of the time by herself - and carried more than
9,000 pounds of ammunition on her back. Wounded twice, she never stopped. She
also evacuated wounded and dead from the battlefield, and quickly earned the
love and respect of all the Marines who served with her.
The dedication ceremony, featuring a Marine Corps color guard,
will include an unveiling of the statue by four Korean War veterans who served
with Reckless in Korea, plus guest speaker Sgt. Harold Wadley, USMC (Ret), who
saw her in action during her most heroic battle. Additional speakers will
include Ted Bassett; Robin Hutton, author of the book “Sgt. Reckless: America’s
War Horse;” and Jocelyn Russell, sculptor of the monument. Music will be provided by Dixieland South
Band, and an original theme song will be sung by Nashville country music
artist, Templeton Thompson.
The U.S. Marine Corp Museum will have educational outreach available
in conjunction with the Sgt. Reckless dedication. Interactive displays will be
set up on Saturday and Sunday, May 12-13, 9 am – 5 pm, near the statue.
Admission for the Sgt. Reckless statue unveiling and
dedication will be free for those attending only this event at the park at 1
pm. More information is available on the park’s website at www.kyhorsepark.com.
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