Robert L. Owens
Owens first entered the submarine service during World War II, from 1943 to 1946, serving aboard USS Tinosa (SS-283). After the war, he pursued his education. In 1952, he returned to the Navy, this time as an officer. Owens became involved with the Regulus missile program before eventually serving aboard Growler at the rank of lieutenant commander. He joined the crew as executive officer and was later promoted to commanding officer. Owens decommissioned Growler at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
Owens continued his naval career, returning to COMSUBPAC staff as the Polaris targeting officer, commanding the fast attack submarine USS Sea Leopard, joining CINCLANT as part of the team that would send the go-message to the Polaris submarines, and serving as the assistant chief of staff for plans and operations for SubFlot 6. Owens then 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. Robert Owens ended his 28 years in the submarine service as the 688 Project Officer. After retiring from the Navy in 1975 as a commander, he returned to Sanger, California, where he ran his family’s plumbing business.
Owens was interviewed twice for the Museum's oral history collection (OHP.059 and OHP.126). He died in 2017.
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