[Korea Route] Korean War Hero 'Reckless' Passes Away... 50 Years Later

Retired from Pendleton Base in Nov. 1960... Commemorative Projects in Korea and the US
Baekhak-myeon Designated as 'Village Upholding the Spirit of National Defense Heroes'... Reckless Cooperative Established
US Marine 6.25 War Veterans Visit Baekhak Village

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Our land holds history, and each season and region carries memories and culture. This publication plans to serialize 'Korea Route' every weekend to discover lesser-known and hidden stories from across the country and introduce the beautiful landscapes, small histories, and cultures of the Korean Peninsula.

The first story commemorates the 71st anniversary of the June 25 War this year, honoring the war heroes and developing village cultural projects in Baekhak Village, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do, focusing on lesser-known aspects.

In Yeoncheon’s history preserved on the Korean Peninsula, there is a village that inherits the spirit of national defense heroes. Baekhak Village in Yeoncheon-gun holds stories of brave heroes who played active roles during the June 25 War.

The 'Supply Hero' known as the 'Jige Unit,' who roamed the battlefield carrying loads on a traditional Korean carrying frame called a jige, and especially the racehorse Reckless, born in Jeju Island, were assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in the Battle of Nevada during the Korean War, earning distinction as a War Horse.

The cinematic story of Reckless, selected as one of America’s 100 greatest heroes, unfolds. [Editor’s note]

◈ Series Order

① The Korean horse selected as one of America’s 100 greatest heroes

② The born military horse 'Reckless'

③ War hero 'Reckless' laid to rest... 50 years later

Reckless Statue in Gorang Port History Park, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Photo by Ra Young-cheol

③ War hero 'Reckless' laid to rest... 50 years later

After the armistice of the June 25 War, Reckless eventually set foot on American soil. After briefly staying at the home of Lieutenant Paterson’s family, she spent her remaining years at Camp Pendleton of the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Division, 5th Regiment. At Camp Pendleton, Reckless was treated with the utmost respect as a supreme dignitary.

In April 1954, General Randolph M. Pate, commander of the 1st Marine Division, promoted Reckless from corporal to sergeant. Then, on August 31, 1959, Reckless was promoted to staff sergeant. At the promotion ceremony held at Camp Pendleton under Commander Randolph’s supervision, over 1,700 comrades attended, and 19-gun salutes were fired.

Sergeant Reckless Business Card [Provided by Reckless Cooperative]

On November 10, 1960, Reckless retired at Camp Pendleton. She later gave birth to four foals named 'Fearless,' 'Dauntless,' 'Chesty,' and a last foal who died one month after birth. The names 'Fearless' and 'Dauntless' were given with the same meaning as 'Reckless'?'without fear.'

After retiring from active duty, Reckless developed arthritis in her back with age and was injured on May 13, 1968, after falling into a barbed wire fence. The aged Reckless reportedly closed her eyes after receiving a sedative while being treated for her wounds. The U.S. Marine Corps held a funeral with the highest honors.

■ Unforgettable Military Horse 'Reckless'

Following a formal military funeral, Reckless was honorably buried in the base cemetery. A monument was erected next to her stable. Reckless was a superstar in the U.S. during the 1950s and 60s, and her death was widely covered by major media, attracting nationwide attention.

In 2013, the U.S. Marine Corps Museum in Virginia held a dedication ceremony for the Reckless Memorial Hall. The hall displays a statue of Reckless along with various materials. In 2016, a statue of Reckless was erected at Camp Pendleton Marine Base where she lived, and in 2018, another statue was installed at the Lexington Horse Park in Kentucky.

In Korea, a Reckless statue was erected in 2016 at the Gorangpo Port History Park in Yeoncheon-gun. Former Yeoncheon-gun governor Kim Gyu-seon visited the U.S. and brought back Reckless’s actual horseshoe and tail hair, which are on display. Photos and materials introducing the Yeoncheon battle during the June 25 War and Reckless’s exploits are exhibited, along with a 'Protect Reckless' game zone where visitors can experience it firsthand.

Reckless horseshoe and gun (tail hair) exhibited in Gorang Port History Park [Photo by Ra Youngcheol]

Originally, the Reckless statue was planned to be erected in Baekhak Village, Yeoncheon-gun, but the consensus was to place it closest to the battlefield where Reckless was active, so it was installed at Gorangpo Port History Park. Along National Routes 371 and 372 leading to Baekhak Village, a park with an exhibition and rest area matching Reckless’s head shape with the Korean Peninsula map has been created. Annual commemorative events have been suspended since last year due to the spread of COVID-19.

About 200 meters from Reckless Park, a walking path named 'June 25 Hero Achimhae Welcome Road'?named after Reckless’s original name 'Achimhae'?has been established. Along the stream, the 2.5-meter-wide, approximately 300-meter-long walkway floor features illustrations of U.S. soldiers and Reckless. Baekhak Village also has the Baekhak History Museum, created by the group 'Descendants of the Brave.' The underground museum exhibits photos of Reckless, photos and relics of veterans, helmets, firearms, bullets, and shells.

Reckless Experience Center in Gorang Port History Park [Photo by Ra Youngcheol]

Yeoncheon-gun has designated the area around Duil-ri, Baekhak-myeon, where the Battle of Nevada took place during the June 25 War and where Reckless was active, as a village inheriting the spirit of national defense heroes, and is promoting the 'Yeoncheon Reckless Cultural Village Development Project.' Using the Baekhak History Museum established by local residents in 2018 as a base, it supports tourism resource development by highlighting the village’s unique storytelling and characteristics as a DMZ cultural village.

Additionally, the Korea Racing Authority has been presenting the musical performance 'Reckless 1953' featuring horses since 2015.

■ People Continuing the Legacy

In the small rural Baekhak Village, some residents formed a cooperative and operate the Reckless Cafe as a village enterprise together with multicultural families. Although the interior is not sophisticated in the small space, the atmosphere clearly conveys that the spirit of national defense heroes and the value and importance of the heroic horse Reckless can never be forgotten.

The cafe interior is decorated with photos of Reckless, handwritten signatures and photos of American veterans who visited Korea, and various memorials honoring the patriotism of veterans from Yeoncheon-gun.

Reckless Cafe [Photo by La Youngcheol]

Lee Sang-kyung, director of the Reckless Cooperative, said, "Although Reckless is well known, our village, which could be said to have been reclaimed thanks to Reckless’s help, was completely unaware. To promote our heroic horse, we formed the 'Achimhae Memorial Association' in 2014 and hold Reckless commemorative events annually with about 200 residents."

The cooperative annually invites veterans and members of the Jige Unit to Reckless Park for activities such as drawing contests to promote Reckless. With help from the Baekhak-myeon Red Cross, local military units, and residents, they also created the 'Achimhae Welcome Road,' which depicts Reckless’s life story in about 20 paintings on the ground. In 2018, they established a small village history museum and trained village guides, continuing to operate the history center and foster village pride.

Reckless Park (left in the photo) and Morning Sun Greeting Road Photo by La Youngcheol

Notably, in March 2016, a group from the U.S., including Korean War veterans and those who cared for Reckless, visited Baekhak Village expressing a desire to meet Koreans who honor Reckless. They visited Reckless Park and the cafe in Baekhak-myeon and took commemorative photos with Korean labor corps member Geum Dong-hoon (deceased 2019), who served during the June 25 War.

Director Lee said, "Many veterans who participated in the June 25 War, now over 90 years old, planned to visit, but only a few could come due to health reasons," adding, "They shared many memories and stories about Reckless during the war."

US Marine Korean War Veteran Delegation Visits Reckless Cooperative [Provided by Reckless Cooperative]

He continued, "Two writers came together; one wrote Reckless’s biography, and the other created the Reckless statue. They expressed a wish to erect a statue in our (Baekhak) village similar to those in the U.S." One year later, the Reckless statue was erected at Gorangpo Port History Park.

The Reckless Cooperative also includes descendants of veterans who served as members of the 'Jige Unit,' the 'Supply Heroes' who roamed the battlefield carrying loads on a jige during the June 25 War.

The 'Jige Unit' were hidden heroes of the battlefield, overcoming rugged mountainous terrain to deliver ammunition and food to the front lines as part of the Korean labor corps. It is said that about 300,000 people served in the Jige Unit. Now, over 70 years later, only a few members remain alive.

Geum Ga-hyun, general affairs officer of the cooperative, said his father was a Jige Unit member. The late Geum Dong-hoon, who passed away at age 86, served as a non-commissioned officer in the Korea Service Corps (KSC) labor corps and participated in the war at age 17.

Mr. Geum Dong-hoon, who was a porter unit member of the Korean Labor Corps during the Korean War [Provided by Geum Ga-hyun, General Affairs]

According to Geum, his father was trained at a training center near Papyongsan and served as a labor corps leader non-commissioned officer in the 1st Division, 103rd Regiment. He was responsible for transporting military supplies (ammunition, mines, barbed wire, food, rice balls, clothing) and evacuating wounded and deceased soldiers in battles at Daedeoksan, Yeoncheon Baekhak and Jangnam, and the Imjin River area in Paju.

KSC members who survived the fierce battles, carrying ammunition boxes on jiges made of wood and kudzu vines, climbing ridges with the Korean army, and enduring intense battles before the armistice, were very few.

Geum Ga-hyun said, "My father had two military service numbers. The government did not know about his participation in the war, so when he turned 20, he received a draft notice and entered Nonsan Training Center. During training, his participation in the June 25 War was confirmed through an interview with the training center commander, and he was discharged."

Many Jige Unit members who participated in the June 25 War have not been recognized as veterans or war casualties due to lack of documentation.

The existence and sacrifices of the Jige Unit, who fought on the battlefield carrying jiges like armed soldiers, remain a task to be properly acknowledged and remembered.