Rodney Russell Clark

Rodney Russell Clark, 86, Sergeant Major, US Marine Corps, retired, died Saturday, August 30, 2014.

A funeral service will be held 11:00 am Thursday at Munden Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Manley B. Rose, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Memorial Park with full military honors.

A native of Weston, West Virginia and graduate of Weston High School Class of 1945, he served in the Marine Corps for 29 years active duty and five years Fleet Marine Corps Reserve. Enlisting in 1945 at the age of 17, he retired in 1979 having served in 57 countries and aboard over 20 navy ships. In addition to various duty stations in the United States. After recruit training in 1945 he joined the 1st Marine Division as a machine gunner and earned the WWII Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal and the WWII victory medal. He served in China from 1945-1947 and helped repatriate Japanese soldiers home to Japan. During the Chinese Civil War he served as a Marine Infantryman providing support to Chiang Kai Shek's Nationalist Government at outposts and in Chinese villages on the Peking Mukden Railroad, guarding vital rail lines and supply routes. For this service he received the China Service Medal and the China War Memorial Medal.

As a Marine Corps Infantry assault unit leader in 1950 he joined the 3rd battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Brigade at Pusan, South Korea and was in the first battalion of troops to hit the beach at Wolmido, Inchon Landing September 15, 1950. He was wounded September 20, 1950 assaulting a machine gun position during the battle for the South Korean capitol city of Seoul. He rejoined the 5th Marines as they came out of Chosen Resevoir and from Hungnam, North Korea on December 12, 1950. He served in Korea to August 1951 earning the Purple Heart Medal; Korean Service Medal with 6 battle stars: United Nations Service Medal; Presidential Unit Citation (5 awards); Korean Presidential Citation, Korean War Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Marine Corps Combat Action Medal.

1953 to 1956 and 1959 to 1963 he was NCO In Charge, Marine Corps recruiting station for central West Virginia in Clarksburg. In 1966 Sergeant Major Clark served with the 3rd Marine Division at Hue Phu Bai, South Vietnam and in 1970 and 1971 he served with the 1st Marine Division at Danang, South Vietnam. For his Vietnam service he was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation (6th award), Marine Corps Combat Action Medal (2nd award), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, and Vietnamese Civic Action Medal. During his service in the Marine Corps he was awarded 9 Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals.

After retiring from the Marine Corps he worked as Program Assistant, Economic Development Administration, Raleigh, NC, and Director of Economic Development, Neuse River Council of Governments, New Bern, NC. He worked for the North Carolina Employment Security Commission nine years and was an instructor for Carteret Community College, Morehead City, NC. He attended Craven Community College, New Bern, NC and had a degree in Business Administration and a degree in Marketing and Retailing.

In addition to his many accomplishments, he was a member of the China Marine Association, member and past Commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 26. Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7315, Fleet Reserve Association Branch 141, and American Legion Post 4, Weston, WV. Semper Fi.

A son of Lyman A. Clark and Freda M. Clark of Weston, both deceased, and predeceased by three brothers Lyman Clark, Robert R. Clark, and Stanley Clark,  Mr. Clark is survived by his wife Virginia Posey Clark of Pricetown, who resides in Havelock, NC; daughter Rodnea Russelle Brunson and husband David of Columbus, OH, daughter Robin Brooke McPherson and husband Mack of Wichita Falls, TX, daughter Melissa Clark of Newport,  son Stephen Bruce Clark and wife Robin K. of Tomah, WI, son Mark Lyman Clark of Birmingham, AL; six grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; a sister Glenna L. Mathews and husband David of Philippi, WV; and several nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held 6:00-8:00 pm Wednesday at Munden Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. of Morehead City.

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