Robert Gordon Owens Jr. (February 13, 1917 – October 31, 2007) was a highly decorated

United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

aviator and

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

, who was a

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

with seven victories during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He was a recipient of the Navy Cross, the United States' second-highest

decoration Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Other ...

awarded for valor in combat. Owens rose to the general's rank and served as Chief of Staff,

III Marine Amphibious Force III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and d ...

during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. He completed his service as Commanding general,

1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...

in April 1972.

Early career

Robert G. Owens Jr. was born on February 13, 1917, in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...

as the son of Robert G. Owens, but grew up with his uncle, Fielder Owens and his family. He graduated from Greenville High School in summer 1934 and enrolled the

Furman University Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...

also located in Greenville. While at the University, Owens was a member of Young Democrats and also served as President of

Delta Sigma Phi Delta Sigma Phi (), commonly known as Delta Sig or D Sig, is a fraternities and sororities, fraternity established in 1899 at City College of New York, The City College of New York (CCNY). It was the first fraternity to be founded on the basis o ...

for two years. He graduated with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree in

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

in June 1938 and after one year in the family truck company, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve as

Private First Class Private first class (french: Soldat de 1 classe; es, Soldado de primera) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in a number of armed forces. French speaking countries In France and other French speaking countries, the rank (; ) ...

in August 1939. He was stationed with Marine Detachment Naval Air Station Seattle for one month, before he was assigned to the Aviation Cadet Program at Naval Air Station Pensacola,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. Owens completed flight training and was commissioned as a Reserve

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in June 1940. Upon his commissioning, he was ordered to

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and joined Marine Bomber Squadron 2 under Major

Ira L. Kimes Ira Laffayete Kimes (August 8, 1899 - February 3, 1949) was a highly decorated United States Naval Aviator, naval aviator of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general. He is most noted f ...

. Owens began flying air patrols along the coast of

in the new Douglas SBD Dauntless

dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

, before his squadron was transferred to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

in early 1941. In anticipation of the large expansion Marine Aviation was about to undergo, the squadron was re-designated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMF-232) in July 1941. Owens was stationed at

Marine Corps Air Station Ewa Marine Corps Air Station Ewa (MCAS Ewa) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located west of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The base was hit during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served as the hub for all Mar ...

Oahu Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...

and participated in the patrolling of

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...

during the increasing tensions in the Pacific.

World War II

During the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

on December 7, 1941, Owens participated in the defense of the island, during which one member of the squadron was killed and nine of the squadron's aircraft were destroyed. Two months following the Japanese attack, Owens was promoted to first lieutenant and joined the newly activated Marine Fighting Squadron 215 at

Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara (MCAS Santa Barbara) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located in Goleta, California north of Los Angeles during World War II. It was also known as the Goleta Air Station in the 1940s. ...

. He was promoted to Captain in May 1942 and served as Squadron's executive officer during the initial training on Grumman F4F Wildcats. The squadron was transferred to

in February 1943 and transitioned to

Vought F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts ...

s, while Owens was promoted to Major in May 1943 and assumed command of the squadron. He led his unit to

Midway Atoll Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...

and conducted combat air patrols for allied shipping for two months, before they were transferred to a new base at

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...

. Owens then participated in air strikes against Japanese bases in the northern

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...

, New Georgia, and the

Bismarck Archipelago The Bismarck Archipelago (, ) is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. Its area is about 50,000 square km. History The first inhabitants o ...

. His squadron also provided air cover for the landings at Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville, which began on November 1, 1943. In January 1944, Owens led his squadron during aerial combat over

Rabaul Rabaul () is a township in the East New Britain province of Papua New Guinea, on the island of New Britain. It lies about 600 kilometres to the east of the island of New Guinea. Rabaul was the provincial capital and most important settlement in ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

and personally shot down seven Japanese aircraft and probably destroyed five additional planes. Unfortunately his plane was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft guns. Although burned in the face, arm and leg, he succeeded in landing his crippled plane in the water where a rescue

PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wit ...

picked him up. Owens became a

for shooting down seven Japanese aircraft and received the Navy Cross, the United States second-highest

awarded for valor in combat. He also received five awards of Distinguished Flying Cross, eleven

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

s and

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

for his wounds. He was subsequently ordered back to the United States for treatment and a new assignment. Owens then assumed command of newly activated

Marine Aircraft Group 46 Marine Aircraft Group 46 (MAG-46) was a United States Marine Corps reserve aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California with subordinate units spread throughout California. It previously composed of one adversary squadron e ...

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located next to the community of El Toro, near Irvine, California. Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps Aviation on the West Coast ...

and supervised the training of replacement pilots and crew for Marine squadrons operating in combat areas. He remained in that assignment for the rest of the War.

Postwar service

Following the

surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...

in August 1945, Owens joined the staff of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321 and participated in the

occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...

. The squadron was ordered back to the United States in early 1946 and Owen was transferred to the headquarters, Aircraft,

Fleet Marine Force, Pacific The United States Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at MCB Camp H. M ...

under Major general James T. Moore. While in this capacity, he participated in the

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...

, where units of the

provided support actions for allied units. By the end of 1946, Owens returned stateside and was assigned to the Division of Reserve at Headquarters Marine Corps in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

and served under Major general

William T. Clement William Tardy Clement (September 27, 1894 – October 17, 1955) was a highly decorated general of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant general during World War II. He is most noted as commanding general of Fleet Landing For ...

for two years. He decided to remain in the Marines and was transferred to the active list. In early 1948, Owens was ordered to the

Marine Corps Schools Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

at Marine Corps Base Quantico,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

for the Junior Course, which he completed in August that year and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Upon the completion of the course, he was ordered to

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States Armed Forces, United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for Amphibious warfare, amphibious assault training, and its ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

and assumed duty as Division Air Officer,

2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ...

under Major General

Franklin A. Hart Franklin Augustus Hart (September 16, 1894 – June 22, 1967) was a four-star general in the United States Marine Corps who served more than thirty-seven years. His varied and colorful career included service during the two World Wars, sea ...

. During the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

the 2nd Marine Division remained in the States, maintained combat readiness and trained replacement personnel for units deployed in combat areas. Owens was transferred to the Headquarters, Aircraft,

Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) is an American maritime landing force that is spread across the Atlantic Ocean. It is headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk and directs and commands all the subordinate elements of the Navy Expeditiona ...

under Major General

Louis E. Woods Lieutenant General Louis Earnest Woods CBE (7 October 1895 – 20 October 1971), one of the Marine Corps' outstanding aviators, served as commanding general, aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at the Marine Corp ...

in October 1950 and then assumed command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115. During his tenure, the squadron became the first Marine Corps squadron equipped with

Grumman F9F-2 Panther The Grumman F9F Panther is one of the United States Navy's first successful carrier-based jet fighters, as well as Grumman’s first jet fighter. A single-engined, straight-winged day fighter, it was armed with four cannons and could carry a wi ...

jets. He was transferred to the

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...

and assumed duty as the assistant operations officer under the command of MajGen Woods, who dual hatted as Commander, Aircraft, FMF, Atlantic and 2nd MAW; In June 1952, Owens was ordered to the Air War College at

Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

and completed the senior course there one year later. Upon graduation, he was ordered to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California and assumed duty as the operations officer of

Marine Aircraft Group 15 Marine Aircraft Group 15 (MAG-15) was a United States Marine Corps aviation group established during World War II. MAG-15, a transport and photo-reconnaissance training group, was commissioned on 1 March 1942, headquartered at Camp Kearny, San Di ...

. Owens was transferred to command Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 stationed at MCAS El Toro in March 1954 and his duty consisted of peacetime tactical flight training, and exercises of aerial gunnery and close air support missions. Owens entered helicopter training in August 1954 and upon completion in May 1955, he joined

Marine Aircraft Group 16 Marine Aircraft Group 16 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of four V-22 Osprey squadrons, four CH-53 Super Stallion squadrons, one Personnel Support Detachment, and ...

, attached to

at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. He served consecutively as the Group's Logistics Officer and Operations Officer and returned to the United States in June 1956 for duty as Senior Marine Officer on the staff of Chief of Naval Air Basic Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Owens served under Rear Admiral Joseph M. Carson and was promoted to Colonel in September 1957. In February 1958, he was transferred to

, where he joined the headquarters,

as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) under Lieutenant General

Vernon E. Megee General Vernon Edgar Megee (June 5, 1900 – January 14, 1992) was a United States Marine Corps general. He is recognized as a pioneer in the development of close air support for ground combat operations." General Vernon E. Megee, USMC", Marine C ...

. While in Hawaii, Owens assumed command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 attached to 1st Marine Brigade under Brigadier General

Richard G. Weede Richard Garfield Weede (September 26, 1911 – October 22, 1985) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant general. He served in World War II, Korea and during the early phase of Vietnam War and ...

. The brigade served as a

Marine Air-Ground Task Force Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...

prepared to strike whenever is needed. Owens was ordered to

in September 1961 and joined the Division of Operations at Headquarters Marine Corps as Assistant Head, Plans Branch. He remained in that capacity until August 1963, when he entered the senior course at

National War College The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National War Colle ...

. While in Washington, Owens also earned a

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

International Relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...

from

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , preside ...

Vietnam War

Upon the completion of the National War College in June 1964, Owens was assigned to the Joint Staff,

Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...

as a member of the Pacific Division Operations Directorate. While in this capacity, he was promoted to

Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

on July 1, 1965 and assumed duty as Deputy Director for Command Areas, Operations Directorate. Owen served in this capacity during the opening months of

and received

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

for his service. In September 1966, Owen served as Deputy Director of Marine Corps Personnel under his former superior from 1st Marine Brigade, now Major general

and departed for

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

in December that year. He joined the headquarters,

under Major general

Louis Robertshaw Louis Bentham Robertshaw (August 1, 1912 – July 14, 2003) was an American football player and lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps. He flew combat missions in World War II and the Korean War and flew an F4B Phantom II fight ...

Da Nang Air Base Da Nang Air Base ( vi, Căn cứ không quân Đà Nẵng) (1930s–1975) (also known as Da Nang Airfield, Tourane Airfield or Tourane Air Base) was a French Air Force and later Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility located in the city ...

and as Assistant Wing Commander, Owens participated in the planning and supervising of Wing's operations until April 1967. He was then transferred to the headquarters of

and served successively under lieutenant generals

Lewis W. Walt Lewis William Walt (February 16, 1913 – March 26, 1989) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Walt was decorated several times, including two Navy Crosses for ext ...

and

Robert E. Cushman Jr. Robert Everton Cushman Jr. (December 24, 1914 – January 2, 1985) was a United States Marine Corps General (United States), four-star general who served as the 25th commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1972, to June 30, 1975. He was hon ...

as their Chief of Staff. Owens completed his tour in Vietnam in December 1967 and received his second

for his service. He also received

National Order of Vietnam The National Order of Vietnam ( vi, Bảo Quốc Huân Chương) was a combined military-civilian decoration of South Vietnam and was considered the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual by the Republic of Vietnam government. ...

and

Vietnam Gallantry Cross The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ( vi, Anh-Dũng Bội-Tinh) is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal wa ...

with Palm. Following his return to the United States, Owens was ordered back to the Headquarters Marine Corps and assumed duty as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. He was promoted to

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

on September 1, 1968 and received his third

for his service at Headquarters Marine Corps. In March 1969, he was an honorary pallbearer at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's funeral. In May 1969, Owens was ordered to the

and assumed duty as Commanding General,

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California and provides the aviation combat el ...

. While in this capacity, he was responsible for the demobilization of Aircraft personnel and units returning from Vietnam. Owens served in this capacity until April 1971 and received his fourth

. Owens was then ordered to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,

and assumed command of

, recently redeployed from South Vietnam. His units provided critical attack, fighter, electronic warfare, and support aircraft needed to augment U.S. air strength in

and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

. He remained in

until April 1972 and then returned to the United States. Owens was decorated with fifth

and was ordered home, awaiting retirement.

Retirement

On August 1, 1972, Owens retired from active duty after 33 years of active service and settled in

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island, Newport ...

, where he pursued a career in real estate. He played golf and raised orchids in his free time and also served as President of the

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...

of Newport Beach. In the last years of his life, Owens lived with his wife in Fraser Meadows Retirement Community in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a home rule city that is the county seat and most populous municipality of Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, making it the 12th most populous city in Color ...

, where he died on October 31, 2007, aged 90. He was buried with full military honors at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

. His wife and high school sweetheart Marjorie Frances Hart Owens (1918–2013) is buried beside him. They had two sons Robert G. III and Stanley.

Decorations

Major general Owen's personal decorations include:

References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Owens, Robert G., Jr. 1917 births 2007 deaths People from Greenville, South Carolina United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War American World War II flying aces Aviators from South Carolina Shot-down aviators United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps pilots of World War II United States Naval Aviators Furman University alumni George Washington University alumni National War College alumni Air War College alumni Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the National Order of Vietnam Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Greenville Senior High School (Greenville, South Carolina) alumni