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I wrote this up for else where, but figured I'd share with Dakka.


These photos are the Staff Sergeant Reckless warhorse memorial. For the unaware Staff Sergeant Reckless (her actual, official Marine Corps rank) served with the 5th Marines during the Korean War, this highly decorated and intelligent warhorse repeatedly exposed herself (willingly, with no urging by a handler) to enemy fire both to carry ammunition and supplies from the ammunition dump in the rear to the firing lines, to evacuate Marine casualties and to protect Marines under fire. Reckless's regular route between the supply point and the line during the ferocious battle for Outpost Vegas (March '53) left her completely exposed to enemy fire, despite this Reckless moved over 5 tons of ammunition and other supplies to the front and completed the majority of her trips alone. Staff Sergeant Reckless returned with her unit to Camp Pendleton after the war and officially retired in 1960. Reckless passed on to her final duty station May 13th, 1963 and was buried with full military honors aboard Camp Pendleton. She was survived by three foals, Dauntless, Fearless and Chesty. No word on if they were as decorated and bad ass as their mom. SSgt Reckless's Military Decorations include two Purple Hearts, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with star, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the French Fourragere that the 5th Marines earned in WW1 and is worn by all Marines of that unit to this day. The SSgt Reckless memorial (she is called "Sergeant" Reckless in some media, but those people are frankly pillocks) is due to be dedicated this 26 July, 2013 with a ceremony presided over by Commandant of the Marine Corps General Amos at the National Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia.

Damn, Just, Damn. Also, is the museum open to the public? I want to see this IRL.
Also, I though chesty was funny at first, then i found out it was the name of a general.

Absolutely: www.usmcmuseum.org/

I need to get up there if I actually make this move to the East Coast. I actually haven't been to the Jarhead museum before.

Dauntless, Fearless and Chesty.

Seriously? Awesome noble name, awesome noble name, bad stripper name. Poor Chesty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesty_Puller

hotsauce beat me to it XD the man with five Navy crosses would like you to retract your statement.

Still odd considering the rest of his families names

That's a cool piece of Marine Corps history that I wasn't aware of. Thanks for posing this, KM!

Damn, that is one hell of a horse & an amazing piece of history.

Could I just ask though, why is referring to her as Sergeant instead of Staff Sergeant considered bad? I guess it's some kind of insult, but I'm just curious.

Staff Sergeant is a rank above Sergeant, so people referring to her as Sergeant are essentially demoting her.

Thanks for posting this KM, interesting stuff. I'm reminded of Voytek (sp?) the bear

Tibbsy wrote:
Staff Sergeant is a rank above Sergeant, so people referring to her as Sergeant are essentially demoting her.

Thanks for posting this KM, interesting stuff. I'm reminded of Voytek (sp?) the bear

Thanks for the clarification - thought it would be something like that.

Pardon the meme, but damn, look at that horse, the horse is amazing!

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesty_Puller

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them."

When you meet a man that flying rodent gak insane awesome, and it unconditionally works for him, that is when you've found a man that is not a man you feth with.

Who exactly is in a horse's chain of command?

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Damn, Just, Damn. Also, is the museum open to the public? I want to see this IRL.
Also, I though chesty was funny at first, then i found out it was the name of a general.

Chesty Puller. May well be one of the greatest warriors spawned from a country of great warriors.

Im guessing even the horse have command over privates.
Now im imagining a drill sergeant that is a horse.

feeder wrote:

Dauntless, Fearless and Chesty.

Seriously? Awesome noble name, awesome noble name, bad stripper name. Poor Chesty.

Never... ever... ever... say this around a US Marine. You'll enter the history books the way Jimmy Hoffa did.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Jayce_The_Ace wrote:

Tibbsy wrote:
Staff Sergeant is a rank above Sergeant, so people referring to her as Sergeant are essentially demoting her.

Thanks for posting this KM, interesting stuff. I'm reminded of Voytek (sp?) the bear

Thanks for the clarification - thought it would be something like that.

The Marines and Army are a lot more particular on this then the Navy and Air Force. I'm a SSgt in the Air Force, but i'm routintely called Sgt. When I put Tech Sgt on in a few months, I'll still be referred to as Sgt. When I get Master Sgt, I'll still be Sgt. It's not until Senior Master Sgt that it really changes, you'll start being referred to as Senior, and once you put Chief Master Sgt on, your name becomes Chief.

For the Navy, Petty Officers can be referred to as Petty Officer, whether they are a PO3, PO2, or PO1. Once they make Chief though, you better get it right. You don't call a Senior Chief or Master Chief just Chief.

Reminds me of Private Wojtek, the Polish artillerycrewbear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_%28soldier_bear%29

Also reminds me of Sergeant Stubby.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Stubby

Why doesn't this horse have a movie already?

Chesty. . . Puller.

The scary ones always have a funny name.

 djones520 wrote:

feeder wrote:

Dauntless, Fearless and Chesty.

Seriously? Awesome noble name, awesome noble name, bad stripper name. Poor Chesty.

Never... ever... ever... say this around a US Marine. You'll enter the history books the way Jimmy Hoffa did.

Insulting Chesty is a lot like insulting the Prophet Mohammed around radical islamists, except Chesty is the patron war saint of a large group of men and women who are trained killers instead of idiots with beards. It's also not unheard of for Chesty to manifest via his remaining hate and discontent to ruin people's gak. Other times the Avatar of Chesty, currently Gen James "Mad Dog" Mattis, will make with some holy face wrecking.


"We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them." – November 1950, during Chosin Reservoir campaign

 djones520 wrote:

Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Jayce_The_Ace wrote:

Tibbsy wrote:
Staff Sergeant is a rank above Sergeant, so people referring to her as Sergeant are essentially demoting her.

Thanks for posting this KM, interesting stuff. I'm reminded of Voytek (sp?) the bear

Thanks for the clarification - thought it would be something like that.

The Marines and Army are a lot more particular on this then the Navy and Air Force. I'm a SSgt in the Air Force, but i'm routintely called Sgt. When I put Tech Sgt on in a few months, I'll still be referred to as Sgt. When I get Master Sgt, I'll still be Sgt. It's not until Senior Master Sgt that it really changes, you'll start being referred to as Senior, and once you put Chief Master Sgt on, your name becomes Chief.

For the Navy, Petty Officers can be referred to as Petty Officer, whether they are a PO3, PO2, or PO1. Once they make Chief though, you better get it right. You don't call a Senior Chief or Master Chief just Chief.

but yeah the rank thing is service dependent, I think in the Army calling the first 2-3 grades of sergeant "Sarge" or whatever isn't unheard of. Goddess help you if you call a Sergeant "Sarge" or a Staff Sergeant anything but when it comes to Marines. The only acceptable nicknames or shortenings of rank are "Top" for a Master Sergeant and "Gunny" for a Gunnery Sergeant, and that's the equivalent of being on a first name basis with those individuals. You don't start using'em till it's indicated that's acceptable. I am not sure why Reckless's fan club insists on demoting her, I'm going to label it "some dumb civilian thing" and hope they get it right on the plaque at least.

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:

 djones520 wrote:

feeder wrote:

Dauntless, Fearless and Chesty.

Seriously? Awesome noble name, awesome noble name, bad stripper name. Poor Chesty.

Never... ever... ever... say this around a US Marine. You'll enter the history books the way Jimmy Hoffa did.

Insulting Chesty is a lot like insulting the Prophet Mohammed around radical islamists, except Chesty is the patron war saint of a large group of men and women who are trained killers instead of idiots with beards. It's also not unheard of for Chesty to manifest via his remaining hate and discontent to ruin people's gak. Other times the Avatar of Chesty, currently Gen James "Mad Dog" Mattis, will make with some holy face wrecking.


"We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them." – November 1950, during Chosin Reservoir campaign

This i why i think marines are crazy

Sanity is just another excuse to be a wimp.

Also "Marine" is a proper noun and should be capitalized.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 AlmightyWalrus wrote:
Pardon the meme, but damn, look at that horse, the horse is amazing!

So you heard about Reckless's post war modeling career eh?

Turns out sometimes people do overcome the millstone of a really stupid name. Well done Chesty Puller.

I have been out done by a horse... truly this is a sad life I lead D:

Dude, my dog surpassed me when it was capable of catching that racoon, dont feel bad.

I'm Army. I recommend against calling me Sarge. I am not your friend. Buddy, Pal, Home Boy, Lover, or whatever endearing terms you care to use on me. I am a Sargent. You may also call me Staff Sargent. Call me Sarge and I will get my dues from you of sweat. Are we good on this Private?

Being called Sarge really pisses me off.

Sargent and Staff Sargent are mostly called Sargent E5-E6
Sargent First Class E7 also Sargent
E8 we split from there. Can be a First Sargent in a command position or a Master Sargent awaiting a command slot.
E9's are Sargent Majors. Regardless of unit. Battalion, Brigade, and Division.

well....I spelled Sargent wrong....damn the oxy

Im not sure, but didnt the term Sarge come from hollywood?