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Owens, Robert L.

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: June 3, 1924 - April 8, 2017

Biography

Robert L. Owens, from Sanger, California, served aboard the submarine USS Growler (SSG-577), first as executive officer, then as commanding officer, from February 1960 to December 13, 1963. Owens began his submarine service during WWII aboard the USS Tinosa. After the war, he pursued his education, and then returned to the Navy, this time in the reserves. Owens became involved in the Regulus Program, switched from the reserves to regular Navy, and eventually joined Growler. After decommissioning Growler at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Owens continued his naval career, returning to COMSUBPAC Staff as the Polaris Targeting Officer, commanding the fast attack boat Sea Leopard, and joining CINCLANT as part of the team that would send the go-message to the Polaris boats. He was then the Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations for SubFlot 6, received orders to the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he was the Submarine Officer attached to the Chairman’s SALT negotiation team, and ended his 28 years in the submarine service as the 688 Project Officer. After his career in the submarine service, Robert Owens returned to Sanger, California, where he ran his family’s plumbing business.

Chronology:
1943
Start of Military Service (WWII)
1946
End of Military Service (WWII)
1952
Start of Military Service
February 1960
Start of Service Aboard Growler
December 13, 1963
End of Service Aboard Growler
1975
End of Military Service

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Duane F. Heatwole Oral History

 Item
Identifier: OHP 057
Scope and Contents Duane F. Heatwole served aboard Growler as a commissaryman petty officer second class from 1960 to 1964. Heatwole began his interview by discussing Growler’s galley. He also described how he acquired different types of food, how this food was loaded into the boat, and how the food was stored. Heatwole then discussed some of the meals that he prepared for the crew, including filet mignon, lobster, and crab legs from Alaska. He then continued, describing a process called snorkeling, which...
Dates: October 1, 2014

Robert L. Owens Oral History (Second Interview)

 Item
Identifier: OHP 126
Scope and Contents Robert L. Owens served aboard Growler, first as executive officer, then as commanding officer, from February 1960 to December 13, 1963. He began his second interview by recalling his early Navy career when he was drafted during World War II. Owens stated that he attended boot camp in Farragut, ID, and electrician school, before volunteering for submarine service and completing five war patrols on Tinosa. After discussing his experiences in the submarine service during World War II, Owens...
Dates: March 14, 2017

Filtered By

  • Subject: Celebrations -- Holidays X
  • Subject: Russia (nation) X

Additional filters:

Subject
Bering Sea (sea) 1
Celebrations -- Holidays 1
Celebrations -- Holidays -- Christmas 1
Commanding Officer 1
Commissaryman Petty Officer 2nd Class, CS2 1
∨ more
Communications Technicians, CTs 1
Decommissioning, May 25, 1964 1
Discipline 1
Disposal -- Garbage Disposal 1
Engineering -- Marine Engineering -- Shipbuilding 1
Engines -- Heat Engines -- Internal Combustion Engines -- Compression Ignition Engines -- Diesel Engines 1
Executive Officer 1
Food Dispensing -- Food Service -- Meals 1
Growler -- control room and attack center 1
Growler -- forward torpedo room 1
Growler -- galley 1
Growler -- officer stateroom 1
Growler -- sail 1
Guided Missiles -- Cruise Missiles -- Regulus 1 1
Handling -- Loading(Handling) 1
Humor -- Practical Jokes 1
Hygiene -- Shower Facilities 1
Intelligence -- Military Intelligence 1
Intelligence -- Military Intelligence -- Communications Intelligence 1
Japan (nation) -- Kanto (region (administrative division)) -- Kanagawa-ken (prefecture) -- Yokosuka (inhabited place) 1
Lieutenant Commander, O-4 1
Maintenance Equipment -- Drydocks 1
Petty Officer 2nd Class, E-5 1
Recreation -- Entertainment -- Movies 1
Recreation -- Games 1
Russia (nation) 1
Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Kamchatka (peninsula) 1
Russia (nation) -- Primorskiy Kray (kray) -- Vladivostok (inhabited place) 1
Social Sciences -- Psychology -- Social Psychology -- Human Relations -- Race Relations 1
Soviet Union (former nation/state/empire) 1
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) 1
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) -- Aleutians West (national division) -- Adak (inhabited place) -- Naval Air Facility Adak (air base) 1
United States (nation) -- California (state) -- Ventura (county) -- Point Mugu (cape) -- Naval Air Station Point Mugu (air base) 1
United States (nation) -- Connecticut (state) -- New London (county) -- Groton (inhabited place) -- Naval Submarine Base New London (submarine base) 1
United States (nation) -- Hawaii (state) 1
United States (nation) -- Hawaii (state) -- Honolulu (county) -- Oahu (island) -- Pearl Harbor Naval Reservation (defense installation) 1
United States (nation) -- Hawaii (state) -- Kauai (county) -- Kauai (island) 1
Wounds and Injuries -- Burns(Injuries) 1
∧ less