Johnnie Clark – Surviving One of the Deadliest Jobs During the Vietnam War | SRS #317
Johnnie Clark is an American author and Vietnam Veteran, best known for his 1984 Vietnam War memoir Guns Up!. Many of his works fall into the genre of non-fiction military and contain a tough, no nonsense portrayal of combat, courage, and camaraderie.
Mr. Clark joined the Marine Corps at 17 years of age after graduating from St. Petersburg High School. He served as a machine gunner with the famed 5th Marine Regiment during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. He was wounded 3 times, mortar round, grenade, and gunshot. During his rehabilitation from gunshot wounds in Okinawa, Mr. Clark began training in Martial Arts as part of his rehab program. In 2015 Mr. Clark returned from Korea after testing for his 8th Dan in Tae Kwon Do. He was also promoted to 9th Dan in the Ji Do Kwan. Grandmaster Clark owns and operates Johnnie Clark Tae Kwon Do and Judo school in St. Petersburg and has been inducted into the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Mr. Clark’s books, Guns Up! and Semper Fidelis, are recommended reading by Lt. Col. Madonna, former MCG, to all newly commissioned officers at The Basic School. His books have been required reading in many colleges and high schools around the country as well as the Commandant’s List of suggested reading for all Marines. Many commanders have distributed Mr. Clark’s books to our troops now fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is the recipient of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association Brigadier General Robert L. Denig Memorial Distinguished Service Award for writing.
Mr. Clark has been awarded America’s 3rd highest medal for bravery and gallantry in combat, The Silver Star, 3 Purple Hearts, Vietnam’s highest Medal of Honor, The Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, The Civil Action Combat Medal, The Marine Combat Ribbon among other decorations.
Mr. Clark currently resides in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, Nancy, and dog, Gunner.
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00:00 Welcome and Introduction
14:01 Growing Up in Poverty
26:20 Enlisting in the Marines
39:25 First Days in Vietnam
53:24 Meeting Big Red
01:09:51 The Battle of Troy Bridge
01:23:28 First Kill & Combat Reality
01:37:48 Mercy, Loss & Moral Injury
01:53:38 Rediscovering Valor Years Later
02:05:33 Back Into Combat
02:15:27 Dodge City Graveyard Ambush
02:30:51 Writing Gunner’s Glory
02:42:57 Race to the Last Gun
02:53:39 Breaking Point & Healing
03:09:36 Signs, Faith & Recovery
03:21:38 The Moral Spiral After War
03:32:13 Guardian Angels & Miracles
03:47:19 The Miracle of Guns Up
04:00:54 Finding Peace & Family
04:14:46 Firing the M60 Again
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Freaking loved this
You are the real deal!!
51:00 No fucking way 😂
Amazing episode!
Haven’t shed a tear on a SRS interview in a long time this one had me by the throat. Thank you Johnny. Thank you for telling your story and your truth. It takes a few guys to talk to open up a generation. I have so much admiration for your generation of war fighters I have 4 in my family luckily they all made it back home but they don’t talk about it. Stories like yours help me understand.
Thank you for serving for me and our country Johnnie, biggest respect’s to you.
“If I ever walked point, we’d still be there!” Lol
Psalm 121 Man the Black Mountain story got the me… our Lord is so amazing 🙏 This has become my favorite interview. All praise to God!
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Welcome Home Sir
Loved this episode x 1000
Outstanding! Thank you for sharing and for your service. Both of you gentlemen
This is absolutely awesome, I would love to know where in Lincoln County West Virginia he lived at. I also grew up in Lincoln County West Virginia, outside of the town of Hamlin down lower mud river road. I doubt he will see this comment but would be interesting to know. I have been watching Shawn for a long time and I think this is the second veteran that has lived near where I grew up.
This is a tough listen
I think the fearful marine may have had a condition of some kind that caused his nervousness and ultimate heart failure. This was an incredible and unforgettable story of sacrifice.
Outstanding interview! Johnnie is so humble, he is such a kind man. Enjoyed listening to every memory he recalled. Thank you for sharing Johnnie. Let’s get Chan on!!!
The opening story of him coming home after rehab kind of makes me upset I mean this is well before my time I was born in 1987 but I was lucky enough to grow up next to El Toro seriously I could jump on my bicycle and jam from Mission Viejo and El Toro through Lake Forest and be next to the runways or behind the Shelby factory that I didn’t know what it was at the time looking at the officers golf course that I used to play after El Toro shut down and to hear what the people of my county did to Marines come back it’s pretty fucking disgraceful I’m glad I’m out of California I sure wish they’d bring that base back online make some revenue and have some men in that general area instead of all the fruit cups and for all you marines that know what I’m talking about Captain creams!!!
The first time I saw a minigun on Disney, it was on the back of a black light skinned hummv, open top with 2 240s on the driver and passenger exits. 3 if them, and then i think 2 huge mraps or idk what, but they had 40mm in the turrets and 240s for the passenger as well. Looked up how to drop a sof package that afternoon & spoke with a force reconnaissance dude. Just 5 trucks with a dude who gave me a nod standing in the back leaning on the mini in all black & a black beanie as the sun went down.. haven’t thought about that in years. I really appreciate the work you and your team are doing, and sharing these men’s stories and letting them speak about God.
More and more commercials.
What a lovely soul! These are your “Why” brothers!
Cheers
The O course is still going. Its still being used. Im sure obstacle courses from vietnam tore down, rebuilt or moved.
But there were many changes and added obstacles when the crucible was introduced for bootcamp.
3:06:53 I literally started crying. I’ve had a moment like this, it was my coming to Christ moment. Wow. I needed to hear this, thank you for sharing Johnny.
My grandpa was a m60 in the 101st airborne division in Vietnam very happy he made it home
Bad ass to the core
Great, another one that thinks jews are the “chosen ones”. His favorite passage is the one about the state and government of Israel (made by the Rothschilds) is the Israel in the bible. He worships “jews”. So, dissapointing.
2:54 damn I wish Shawn could read so he could become president
3:39 Shawn, your patreon people aren’t the reason you’re here today it’s the millions of YouTube viewers
Absolutely LOVED this one
He got huge ears
True American, thank you for your service, sir .
My dad was a Marine, Vietnam vet. He was also a black belt tae kwon do. He did not speak much about what he saw on Vietnam.
Thank you the story reminded me of my dad rest in peace. God bless.
Thank you this is the episode I needed.
Salut my Brothers!
I’m a West Virginian and reside just outside Charleston. Been waiting on this one!
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Bravery isn’t about not being scared. A brave man is scared but still takes action in the face of that fear. This was a powerful podcast and for that I thank you both gentlemen.
How, in the fuck, in this life, would I ever hear a marine say, I Don’t want to “cuss”?
I read that book years ago and it was really good. I’d like to read it again
Seeing how this man still lives with the battles he fought on behalf of us Americans and seen what most people should never have to see is why I love our troops and never will disrespect our flag! Thank you sir
Who is the country music artist? Shawn won’t say it, cause he doesn’t want a lawsuit, but I will!
I love this guy
5 minutes in, and I’m already pissed at self righteous protestors, and realizing they’ve been around for some time. 😑
I knifed a guy to your song, Midnight Hour…..lmao
what a contratiction with the last interview. An Vietnam Vet, talking calmly, steadily with sense. No mmmhhhheeeess not ehhhhhs not a single pause in his talking.
I need one of those Sigs. I have the first gen 365.
Silver Star citation
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal [then Private First Class] Johnnie M. Clark (MCSN: 2397358), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with operations against North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong while serving as a Machine Gunner in the Second Platoon, Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, during Operation MAMELUKE THRUST on 3 August 1968. In an area known as the Arizona Territory, approximately three miles northwest of An Hon Combat Base, Quang Nam Province, in the later afternoon, lead elements of that platoon made contact with several enemy soldiers. Lance Corporal Clark opened fire with his M-60 machine gun, wounding one enemy soldier, who was quickly dragged away by his comrades. As the three enemy were withdrawing, Lance Corporal Clark was ordered to recon the intervening graveyard by fire. Subsequently, a squad was dispatched to physically reconnoiter, but as they advanced, three enemy .30 caliber machine guns took them under fire from fixed positions. One Marine was immediately killed and four were wounded as they crossed the graveyard, which by then had become saturated by fire from AK-47 automatic rifles, rocket propelled grenades, and mortar fire from a suspected North Vietnamese Army battalion. Because the reconnoitering squad lay in the line of fire from the Second Platoon, and because of the enemy volume of fire on the positions of the latter, they could not return fire without hitting their own men. Coolly surveying the situation, Lance Corporal Clark courageously leaped atop a grave mound with complete disregard for his own safety, exposing himself to fire from the three hostile positions in order to fire his machine gun over the pinned down squad without hitting them. He quickly knocked out one gun and returned fire on another until he ran out of ammunition and had his legs knocked out from under him by enemy fire hitting his boot. Recovering quickly, he reloaded his machine gun and suppressed the enemy fire until darkness engulfed them, at which time he pulled back to rejoin his platoon. That night Lance Corporal Clark rushed into the graveyard to pull one Marine to safety. He later volunteered to re-enter the graveyard in search of two missing Marines. By his initiative, courageous actions, and complete dedication to duty, Lance Corporal Clark reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
Awesome interview! Reminds me that song Rooster by Alice in Chains lol. When Mr.Johnnie talks about a Bible verse that got him through hard times, reminded me of a Bible verse that got me through tough times when I was in the army…Phillipians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thanks Shawn and team!
Huh. I thought we only had one guardian angel each…
I wanna here more about his buddy Chan! Hopefully Shawn can bring him on his show!!
My Sgt. Told me, “its not called stealing equipment, its called Acquiring equipment.”
The Roman’s killed Jesus