The life-size bronze statue is called The Uphill Battle, and Staff Sergeant Reckless, the mare it depicts, was a United States Marine. The 10-foot-tall, 1,200-pound equine monument sits at the end of a corridor of trees in the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park of the Marine Corps Heritage Center in Triangle, Virginia.

Left: Sergeant Reckless beside a 75mm recoilless rifle in Korea. Photograph in the Public Domain. (Click image to expand)

"Sergeant Reckless" was a decorated war horse who served with the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 to 1960. Her main duty was that of pack horse, tasked with carrying ammunition (primarily 24-pound shells for her Recoiless Rifle platoon, Anti-Tank Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division), supplies, and at times evacuating wounded during the Korean War. The mare was purchased by the Marine Corps in Seoul, South Korea.

She quickly became a beloved member of her platoon, sleeping with her fellow marines during extreme cold, eating everything from scrambled eggs to candy. "She was known to eat bacon, buttered toast, chocolate bars, hard candy, shredded wheat, peanut butter sandwiches and mashed potatoes. However, Mitchell advised the platoon that she not be given more than two bottles of Coke a day. Her tastes were not confined to foodstuffs; she once ate her horse balnket, and on another occasion ate $30 worth of Latham's winning poker chips." (Hoffman, 1992, pp. 78-85)

Left: Sergeant Reckless under fire in Korea. Photograph in the Public Domain. (Click image to expand)

Sergeant Reckless' trainers and handlers were Gunnery Sergeant Joseph Latham, Private First Class Monroe Coleman (her primary caretaker) Lieutenant Bill Riley, and Sergeant Elmer Lively. The mare was trained to lie down when the platoon came under fire, run for a bunker upon incoming fire, and how to not become entangled in barbed wire. 

She was a small horse, standing at just 14 hands, but was spirited and fearless. "Her most significant accomplishment came during the Battle of Panmunjom-Vegas (also known as the Battle of Outpost Vegas/Vegas Hill) over the period March 26–28, 1953, when she made 51 solo trips in a single day, carrying a total of 386 recoilless rounds (over 9,000 pounds, carrying 4 to 8 24-pound shells on each trip) covering over 35 miles that day. The whole Battle of Vegas lasted 3 days.nShe was wounded twice during the battle: once when she was hit by shrapnel over the left eye and another time on her left flank. For her accomplishments during the Battle of Vegas Hill, Reckless was promoted to corporal." (Geer, 1955, p.210)

Multimedia: Video, Web, and Photo
Video 1: Sgt. Reckless - Korean War Horse  |  Video 2: Sgt. Reckless  |  Video 3: Sgt. Reckless - The Real War Horse

Left: Camp Pendleton, Ca. 31 August 1959. Sergeant Reckless at her promotion to Staff Sergeant. Photograph in the Public Domain. (Click image to expand)

Sergeant Reckless earned the following: Purple Heart w/1 award star, Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/1 service star, Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal w/3 bronze service stars, Korean War Service Medal, United Nations Korea Medal, and French Fourragère. Once back in the U.S. following the end of the war, she resided with the 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton where she was housed and treated as a VIP. On 13 May 1968, she fell into a barbed wire fence, a fall due to arthritis in her back. While under sedation to treat her wounds, Sergeant Reckless passed away. She was estimated to be between 19-20 years old at her death. 

Books and Suggested Reading
They Called Her Reckless: A True Story of War, Love and One Extraordinary Horse by Janet barrett, published in 2014 by Tall Cedar Books. Reckless: The Racehorse Who Became a Marine Corps Hero by Thomas Clavin, published in 2014 by New American Library, and Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse by Robin L. Hutton, published by Regnery History in 2014.