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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:

Filtered By

  • Subject: Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training X
  • Subject: Engines -- Heat Engines -- Internal Combustion Engines -- Compression Ignition Engines -- Diesel Engines X

Additional filters:

Subject
Communication And Radio Systems 1
Communications Technicians, CTs 1
Cuban Missile Crisis, October 16 - 28, 1962 1
Detection -- Submarine Detection 1
Discipline 1
∨ more
Discipline -- Captain's Mast 1
Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training 1
Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training -- Qualifying 1
Families (Human) -- Family Members 1
Families (Human) -- Family Members -- Wives 1
Food 1
Growler -- chief petty officer quarters 1
Growler -- crew's quarters 1
Growler -- enlisted mess 1
Growler -- sail 1
Hazing 1
Liberty 1
Master Chief Petty Officer, E-9 1
Military Forces (United States) -- Navy 1
Navigation 1
Navigation -- Celestial Navigation 1
Navigation -- Dead Reckoning 1
Navigation -- Inertial Navigation 1
Navigation -- Navigational Aids -- Navigation Charts 1
Navigation -- Radio Navigation -- Hyperbolic Navigation -- Loran 1
Noise -- Noise(Sound) -- Submarine Noise 1
Optical Equipment -- Periscopes -- Submarine Periscopes 1
Ordnance -- Ammunition -- Antiship Ammunition -- Torpedoes 1
Performance Tests -- Psychological Tests 1
Petty Officer 1st Class, E-6 1
Quartermaster 1st Class Petty Officer, QM1 1
Radioman Master Chief Petty Officer, RMCM 1
Recreation -- Entertainment -- Movies 1
Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Kamchatka (peninsula) 1
Security -- Information Security -- Classified Materials 1
Tubes -- Torpedo Tubes 1
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) -- Aleutians West (national division) -- Adak (inhabited place) -- Naval Air Facility Adak (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) -- Honolulu (county) -- Oahu (island) -- Pearl Harbor Naval Reservation (defense installation) 1
Weapons -- Antisubmarine Weapons -- Depth Charges 1
World War II, December 1941–September 1945 1
∧ less