Skip to main content

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:

James W. Day Oral History

 Item
Identifier: OHP 130
Scope and Contents James Day served aboard Growler as a hospital corpsman from 1961 to 1963. He began his interview by discussing why he joined the Navy and providing a brief overview of his service. Day noted boot camp, hospital corps school in San Diego at the Balboa Naval Hospital, operating room technician school at Bethesda Maryland Naval Hospital, being stationed at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, and his time as an OR tech aboard the hospital ship Haven during the Korean War. Day also stated that he left...
Dates: May 24, 2017

Filtered By

  • Subject: Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training -- Qualifying X
  • Subject: Families (Human) -- Family Members X

Additional filters:

Subject
Business Administration -- Finance -- Income -- Salaries 1
Communication And Radio Systems 1
Discipline 1
Discipline -- Captain's Mast 1
Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training 1
∨ more
Engines -- Heat Engines -- Internal Combustion Engines -- Compression Ignition Engines -- Diesel Engines 1
Food 1
Growler -- chief petty officer quarters 1
Growler -- control room and attack center 1
Growler -- enlisted mess 1
Growler -- galley 1
Growler -- missile checkout and guidance center 1
Guided Missiles -- Cruise Missiles -- Regulus 1 1
Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class, HM1 1
Humor -- Practical Jokes 1
Hygiene 1
Liberty 1
Life Sciences -- Medicine -- Dentistry 1
Life Sciences -- Medicine -- Military Medicine 1
Logistics -- Supplies -- Medical Supplies 1
Master Chief Petty Officer, E-9 1
Medical Services -- First Aid 1
Military Forces (United States) -- Navy 1
Performance Tests -- Psychological Tests 1
Personnel Management -- Promotion (Advancement) 1
Pest Control -- Insect Control 1
Petty Officer 1st Class, E-6 1
Radioman Master Chief Petty Officer, RMCM 1
Recreation 1
Recreation -- Entertainment -- Movies 1
Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Kamchatka (peninsula) 1
Security -- Information Security -- Classified Materials 1
Strategy -- Deterrence 1
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) -- Aleutians West (national division) -- Adak (inhabited place) -- Naval Air Facility Adak (air base) 1
United States (nation) -- Hawaii (state) -- Honolulu (county) -- Oahu (island) -- Pearl Harbor Naval Reservation (defense installation) 1
Vacuum -- High Vacuum 1
Weapons -- Antisubmarine Weapons -- Depth Charges 1
World War II, December 1941–September 1945 1
∧ less