To tell horse tale, veteran reprints book

About a hundred people placed orders for the book.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BESSEMER, Pa. -- Sgt. Reckless served her country well and Clayton Stephenson, also a veteran of the Korean War, wants to make sure she's remembered.
The little red horse was supposed to carry packs but ended up shielding soldiers in battle and carrying ammunition to those under fire, Stephenson said. "But you won't read about that in the history books."
Readers of the Saturday Evening Post read about Reckless in April 1954, and men who served under Lt. Col. Andrew C. Geer read about her four years later, after the officer published a book about the brave little mare and sent copies to his soldiers, Stephenson said.
He still has his copy and wanted to share the story but couldn't find the book in print. Even the original publisher had discarded the manuscript, Stephenson said.
Gauged interest
So, he started asking around to see if anyone would be interested in reading about the heroic horse.
About a hundred friends and acquaintances were interested enough to place orders for the book, if Stephenson would have it reprinted.
Not a bad idea, Stephenson thought.
Copyrights for books expire decades after the author's death if heirs don't renew them, Stephenson said, and Geer's heirs never renewed the rights for "Reckless."
So, he took a bank loan and ordered 500 reprints.
Now, he's selling the books, which arrived a week ago, out of the back of his truck.
He would have taken them to area bookstores, "but I figured I'd have to pay them and I ain't got that kind of money," the retired factory worker said. "I didn't do this to make money. I did it so people would know about some of the things that went on."
"If I could sell 10 books a month I'm happy -- just so I don't have to dip into my Social Security [to pay the bank]," he said.
His service, memories
Stephenson, a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, served in Korea from January 1952 until November 1953 with the Second Battalion, Fifth Regiment of the First Division, and said he remembers feeding Reckless rolled oats and cornmeal because there wasn't any feed.
If demand merits it, he said he'll have more copies of the book, which includes 20 photographs, reprinted.
The author of several magazine articles, books and screenplays, Geer wrote "Reckless: Pride of the Marines" after four book publishers requested he write a book after seeing the Saturday Evening Post article.
Geer also wrote "Mercy In Hell," "The Sea Chase," "The New Breed" and "The Wild Blue Yonder."
XTo buy a copy of "Reckless: Pride of the Marines," call Stephenson at (724) 971-7339.
kubik@vindy.com