Owens, Robert L.
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 3 Collections and/or Records:
John "Andy" Anderson Oral History
Robert L. Owens Oral History (First Interview)
Filtered By
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- Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training 2
- Growler -- control room and attack center 2
- Humor -- Practical Jokes 2
- Ordnance -- Ammunition -- Antiship Ammunition -- Torpedoes 2
- Recreation 2
- Tubes -- Torpedo Tubes 2
- Commanding Officer 1
- Cuban Missile Crisis, October 16 - 28, 1962 1
- Damage Control 1
- Detection -- Submarine Detection 1
- Discipline -- Captain's Mast 1
- Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training -- Qualifying 1
- Education -- Training -- Military Training -- War Games 1
- Engineering -- Marine Engineering -- Shipbuilding 1
- Engines -- Heat Engines -- Internal Combustion Engines -- Compression Ignition Engines -- Diesel Engines 1
- Executive Officer 1
- Families (Human) -- Family Members -- Wives 1
- Fire Control Technician (Missile Guidance Systems) Petty Officer 3rd Class, FTG3 1
- Food 1
- Food -- Cake 1
- Germany (nation) -- Schleswig-Holstein (state) -- Flensburg-Mürwik (neighborhood) -- Naval Academy Murwik (naval academy) 1
- Growler -- commanding officer's stateroom 1
- Growler -- crew's quarters 1
- Growler -- enlisted mess 1
- Growler -- officer stateroom 1
- Guided Missiles -- Cruise Missiles -- Regulus 1 1
- Hazing 1
- Hygiene 1
- Lieutenant Commander, O-4 1
- Maintenance Equipment -- Drydocks 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
- Norway (nation) -- Vest-Agder (county) -- Kristiansand (inhabited place) 1
- Optical Equipment -- Periscopes -- Submarine Periscopes 1
- Ordnance -- Fire Control Systems -- Fire Control System Components -- Fire Control Computers -- Torpedo Data Computers 1
- Performance Tests -- Psychological Tests 1
- Personnel -- Military Personnel -- Guided Missile Personnel 1
- Petty Officer 1st Class, E-6 1
- Petty Officer 3rd Class, E-4 1
- Quartermaster 1st Class Petty Officer, QM1 1
- Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Kamchatka (peninsula) 1
- Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (inhabited place) 1
- Strategy -- Deterrence 1
- United States (nation) -- California (state) -- Ventura (county) -- San Nicolas Island (island) 1
- United States (nation) -- California (state) -- Ventura (county) -- Port Hueneme (inhabited place) 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) -- Colorado (state) -- El Paso (county) -- Cheyenne Mountain (peak) -- Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station (Air Force base) 1
- United States (nation) -- Hawaii (state) -- Honolulu (county) -- Oahu (island) -- Pearl Harbor Naval Reservation (defense installation) 1
- United States (nation) -- Midway Islands (possession) 1
- Vacuum -- High Vacuum 1
- World War II, December 1941–September 1945 1 ∧ less