Episode Timeline
View all episodesShawn Ryan’s run, before and after June 29, 2026
4:29:10Now PlayingJohnnie Clark - Surviving One of the Deadliest Jobs During the Vietnam War | SRS #317
293.6K views
June 29, 2026
293,570
7,655
1,028
2.96%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
4:29:10Now PlayingJohnnie 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.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
Shawn Ryan Show Links
Support the Show
Listen on Apple
Listen on Spotify
Follow on TikTok
Follow on Instagram
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Snapchat
Follow on X
SRS Podcast Playlist
#vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow
Johnnie Clark Links:
Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:
Go right now to and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code SRS50 at checkout.
Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide.
Our listeners get the Harry’s Plus Trial Set for only $10 at #harryspod
New customers get 15% off Ultra Pouches with code SRS at #UltraPouches #ad
Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
