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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 4 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

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

John "Andy" Anderson Oral History

 Item
Identifier: OHP 112
Scope and Contents John “Andy” Anderson served aboard Growler from August 1961 to May 1963, as a fire control technician (missile guidance systems) third class and was the torpedo fire controlman aboard Growler. Anderson began his interview by stating that his father served aboard German submarines during World War I, which influenced his decision to join the Navy and serve aboard submarines. He then briefly discussed his childhood before explaining why he joined the Navy. Anderson continued, describing his...
Dates: September 14, 2016

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: Vacuum -- High Vacuum X

Additional filters:

Subject
Food 3
Communications Technicians, CTs 2
Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training 2
Education -- Training -- Military Training -- Naval Training -- Submarine Training -- Qualifying 2
Growler -- control room and attack center 2
∨ more
Growler -- crew's quarters 2
Growler -- galley 2
Growler -- missile hangar(s), port missile hangar, starboard missile hangar 2
Growler -- sail 2
Growler -- wardroom 2
Humor -- Practical Jokes 2
Hygiene 2
Maintenance Equipment -- Drydocks 2
Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Kamchatka (peninsula) 2
Strategy -- Deterrence 2
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) -- Aleutians West (national division) -- Adak (inhabited place) -- Naval Air Facility Adak (air base) 2
United States (nation) -- Connecticut (state) -- New London (county) -- Groton (inhabited place) -- Naval Submarine Base New London (submarine base) 2
Bering Sea (sea) 1
Business Administration -- Finance -- Income -- Salaries 1
Celebrations -- Holidays 1
Celebrations -- Holidays -- Christmas 1
Commanding Officer 1
Commissaryman Petty Officer 2nd Class, CS2 1
Damage Control 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
Families (Human) -- Family Members 1
Families (Human) -- Family Members -- Wives 1
Fire Control Technician (Missile Guidance Systems) Petty Officer 3rd Class, FTG3 1
Food -- Cake 1
Food Dispensing -- Food Service -- Meals 1
Growler -- enlisted mess 1
Growler -- forward torpedo room 1
Growler -- missile checkout and guidance center 1
Growler -- officer stateroom 1
Guided Missiles -- Cruise Missiles -- Regulus 1 1
Handling -- Loading(Handling) 1
Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class, HM1 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
Life Sciences -- Medicine -- Dentistry 1
Life Sciences -- Medicine -- Military Medicine 1
Logistics -- Supplies -- Medical Supplies 1
Medical Services -- First Aid 1
Ordnance -- Ammunition -- Antiship Ammunition -- Torpedoes 1
Ordnance -- Fire Control Systems -- Fire Control System Components -- Fire Control Computers -- Torpedo Data Computers 1
Performance Tests -- Psychological Tests 1
Personnel Management -- Promotion (Advancement) 1
Pest Control -- Insect Control 1
Petty Officer 1st Class, E-6 1
Petty Officer 2nd Class, E-5 1
Petty Officer 3rd Class, E-4 1
Recreation 1
Recreation -- Entertainment -- Movies 1
Recreation -- Games 1
Russia (nation) 1
Russia (nation) -- Kamchatskiy Kray (kray) -- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (inhabited place) 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
Tubes -- Torpedo Tubes 1
United States (nation) -- Alaska (state) 1
United States (nation) -- California (state) -- Ventura (county) -- Point Mugu (cape) -- Naval Air Station Point Mugu (air 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
United States (nation) -- Midway Islands (possession) 1
Wounds and Injuries -- Burns(Injuries) 1
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