Remembering the Forgotten
She traveled alone over fifty times through Korea’s No Man’s Land
carrying desperately needed ammunition to the troops, and just as important,
raising their morale with her presence. She also struggled up 45⁰ inclines to
help evacuate wounded Marines, despite being wounded
herself twice.
He charged attacking Japanese troops, saving the lives of his
comrades until he lost his own to a grenade he was protecting them from.
They scoured the waters of the Persian Gulf for underwater
mines—while they were so sick they needed full-body flotation gear to keep from drowning.
They were all war heroes, right?
No, heroism requires a choice, and they had none.
They were all war victims, forced into conflicts they had nothing to do with
and no understanding of. They were just a few of the countless animals
exploited in wartime. The ammunition porter and casualty aide was a small
Mongolian horse named Sargeant Reckless. The WWII protector of Canada’s troops
was a Newfoundland dog named Sargeant Gander. The Gulf War divers were
dolphins.
What motivated these so-called heroes? For Sargeants
Reckless and Gander, it was loyalty, pure and simple.
Horses have strong hierarchical structures requiring emotional
intelligence and cooperation from every herd member. This makes them easy to
dominate. Their primal fear- being prey animals for wolves, bears and cougars-
also makes them highly in tune with the emotions of others. They recognize
faces and remember the treatment they receive, good or bad.
Reckless, much loved by everyone, adopted the Marines as her herd and gave them the same empathy and respect she would have given
her own kind.
With Sargeant Gander, the motivation is even easier to understand.
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows
how unconditionally devoted they are to their families. Gander immediately
accepted The Royal Rifles Regiment of Canada as his new family when he was
given to them as their mascot. He protected them by barking and snapping at the
legs of enemies—who feared the Allies were training dangerous animals for war.
His final sacrifice was running with a grenade thrown at some wounded soldiers.
Ironically, he was placed with them to keep him out of the most intense
fighting. The grenade exploded in his mouth, killing him instantly.
Did Reckless or Gander get any reward for their courage and
loyalty? That depends on whom you ask. Reckless survived the war and received
many medals and commendations. Both Reckless and Gander were posthumously
awarded the Dickin Medal, the highest award for animal courage and statues of
them were made. What benefit that was to them is questionable, but they were at
least following their instincts and were deeply cared for by the people they
served.
Sadly, the same can’t be said for Makai the dolphin. A wild animal
with no emotional connection to the human world, he was taken from his home in
1974 and placed in a stressful, unnatural setting—never to see his family
again. At the time of his deployment in 2003, he was suffering from a
degenerative spinal condition—likely caused, or worsened by the demanding work
he was forced to do. Rather than being euthanized humanely, as would have been
appropriate, he was subjected to invasive procedures such as tube feeding,
blood draws and i.v lines. These procedures were strictly for teaching purpose.
Makai and the other sick dolphins received absolutely no benefit from them. It
was just another form of exploitation.
As Remembrance Day approaches, let us remember the human heroes and victims of war. But let us also remember Reckless, Gander, Makai and their countless unnamed counterparts whose service was erased from history, but who gave no less and suffered no less than any human being could.
Catherine Somerton
Catherine Somerton was born in Calgary, Alberta but grew up in the
Ottawa Valley. She presently lives in North Grenville ON, about an hour from
Ottawa. When not writing, she enjoys volunteering at her church and spending
time with her family.
Catherine has written a middle school novel entitled My Newf Friend, found at amazon.com as
well as some short stories and poems at Ariel Chart and Café Lit and she appreciates reviews.
References:
The Great Dolphin Dilemma by Lina Zeldovic
Hakai Magazine
February 5, 2019
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-great-dolphin-dilemma/
‘Animal VC’ Will Honour Gander’s Dash for Grenade by Terri Judd
The Independent
August 6, 2000
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/animal-vc-will-honour-gander-s-dash-for-grenade-710788.html
The Four-Legged Marine who Became a Korean War Hero by Christopher
Klein
www.history.com
The Bond Between Humans and Horses Explained by the Editors
Science News Today
July 31, 2025
www.sciencenewstoday.com
Sgt Gander by Craig Baird
Podcast
December 27, 2022
Canadahistoryehx.com