Sergeant York pictured during the state funeral of Ronald Reagan in 2004.

Sergeant York (formerly Allaboard Jules) is a retired horse that was previously owned by the United States Army.

An American Standardbred, Sergeant York was foaled April 25, 1991 and reared as a racehorse in New York under the name Allaboard Jules. During his racing career, he won five of the 23 races in which he participated at tracks in New Jersey and New York.[1] In 1997 Allaboard Jules entered military service and was renamed Sergeant York, in honor of Alvin York.[2][3] He was posted to the Military District of Washington as part of the United States Army Caisson Platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment where he served as a caparisoned horse.[4][3] Sergeant York filled this role, among other occasions, at the state funeral of Ronald Reagan.[5][6]

Sergeant York retired in June 2022 at the age of 31 after 25 years of service in the United States Army and is now residing in the Equine Advocates animal sanctuary. Sergeant York was awarded an “Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal” from members of Congress at a ceremony on March 8 2023.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Greene, Leonard (June 8, 2004). "Funeral Horse's N.Y. Roots". New York Post. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  2. ^ French, Mary Mel (2010). United States Protocol: The Guide to Official Diplomatic Etiquette. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 264. ISBN 1442203218.
  3. ^ a b "Equine Honors". American Cowboy. September 2004. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  4. ^ McLaughlin, Elizabeth. "Meet the Horses of the U.S. Army Old Guard". ABC News. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  5. ^ Wapshott, Nicholas (2007). Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage. Penguin. p. 286. ISBN 1595230475.
  6. ^ Faulkner, Claire. "Arlington's Ceremonial Horses and Funerals at the White House". whitehousehistory.org. White House Historical Association. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  7. ^ "Sergeant York, "Riderless Horse" with the Caisson Platoon, Retires at Equine Advocates – Equine Advocates". Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  8. ^ Correspondent, Deborah Weisberg (2023-04-06). "Honoring a Military Horse for His Decades of Service". Lancaster Farming. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
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