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 or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

aviator and Major General, who was a

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

with seven victories during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was a recipient of the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

, the United States' second-highest decoration awarded for

valor Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series ...

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 (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. 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 Island, Okina ...

in April 1972.

Early career

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

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville ( ; ) is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, sixth-most pop ...

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 university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1826 and named after Baptist pastor Richard Furman, the Liberal arts college, liberal arts university is the oldest private institution of higher l ...

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, 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 based on religious and e ...

for two years. He graduated with a

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

degree in

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

in June 1938 and after one year in the family truck company, he enlisted in the

Marine Corps Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Reserve is an expedi ...

as Private First Class in August 1939. He was stationed with Marine Detachment

Naval Air Station Seattle Naval Station Puget Sound is a former United States Naval station located on Sand Point in Seattle, Washington. Today, the land is occupied by Magnuson Park. History The area around Sand Point and Pontiac Bay was donated to the Seattle city ...

for one month, before he was assigned to the Aviation Cadet Program at

Naval Air Station Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United Sta ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. Owens completed flight training and was commissioned as a Reserve second lieutenant in June 1940. Upon his commissioning, he was ordered to

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and joined Marine Bomber Squadron 2 under Major Ira L. Kimes. Owens began flying air patrols along the coast of

in the new

Douglas SBD Dauntless The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main Carrier-based aircraft, ...

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 ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

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 ...

Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

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 Reci ...

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 Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

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 194 ...

. He was promoted to Captain in May 1942 and served as Squadron's executive officer during the initial training on

Grumman F4F Wildcat The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircra ...

s. The squadron was transferred to

in February 1943 and transitioned to

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

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 (colloquialism, colloquial: Midway Islands; ; ) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the United States and is an Insular area#Unorganized unincorporated territories, unorganized and unincorpo ...

and conducted

combat air patrol Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...

s 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 ...

New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium () and named after the Hebrides in Scotland, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that is now Vanuatu. Native people had inhabited the islands for three th ...

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

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...

New Georgia New Georgia, with an area of , is the largest of the islands in Western Province (Solomon Islands), Western Province, Solomon Islands, and the List of islands by area, 203rd-largest island in the world. Since July 1978, the island has been par ...

, 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 . History The first inhabitants of the archipela ...

. 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 to the east of the island of New Guinea. Rabaul was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

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 Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the O ...

picked him up. Owens became a

for shooting down seven Japanese aircraft and received the

, the United States second-highest decoration awarded for

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 establi ...

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, ...

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 squadr ...

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 and was then adjacent to the city of Irvine. Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps Av ...

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 Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...

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 Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

. 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 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 Camp H. M. Smith, MCB Camp H. ...

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 Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Armed conflict continued intermitt ...

, 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 The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The funct ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

and served under Major general William T. Clement 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 at

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southe ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

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 ( or ) 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, an ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

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 a ...

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 The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

the 2nd Marine Division remained in the States, maintained

combat readiness Combat readiness is a condition of the armed forces and their constituent units and formations, warships, aircraft, weapon systems or other military technology and equipment to perform during combat military operations, or functions consistent ...

and trained replacement personnel for units deployed in combat areas. Owens was transferred to the Headquarters, Aircraft,

Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic The 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 Expedit ...

under Major General Louis E. Woods 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 an early carrier-based jet fighter designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman. It was the first jet-powered fighter aircraft to see air-to-air combat with the United States Navy as well as bein ...

jets. He was transferred to the

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major East Coast of the United States, 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 ...

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 The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University (United States Air Force), Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, ...

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. ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

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

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is a joint Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces and United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki River, Nishiki river delta, southeast of Iwakuni Station in the Municipality of Japan, city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. 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. While in Hawaii, Owens assumed command of

Marine Aircraft Group 13 Marine Aircraft Group 13 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma that is currently composed of four Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II squadrons, an unmanned aerial vehicle squadron, a maintenance and ...

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 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 current power * Marine debris * Marine energy * Marine habitats * ...

prepared to strike whenever is needed. Owens was ordered to

in September 1961 and joined the Division of Operations at

as Assistant Head, Plans Branch. He remained in that capacity until August 1963, when he entered the senior course at

National War College In the United States, the National War College (NWC) is a school within 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 ...

. While in Washington, Owens also earned a

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate 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 prac ...

International Relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...

from

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

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, which advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and ...

as a member of the Pacific Division Operations Directorate. While in this capacity, he was promoted to Brigadier general 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 Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

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 (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

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 figh ...

Da Nang Air Base Da Nang Air Base () (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 of Da Nang, Vietnam. During the Vietnam ...

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 awards of the Navy ...

and

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

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 () 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. The decoration was created in ...

and

Vietnam Gallantry Cross The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry () is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1 ...

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 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 The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, ...

. 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

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, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. 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 of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States. Located about southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime indu ...

, where he pursued a career in real estate. He played golf and raised

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...

in his free time and also served as President of the

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest Service club, service organizations in the world. The self-declared mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, go ...

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 List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...

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

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

. His wife and high school sweetheart Marjorie Frances Hart Owens 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 American recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Greenville Senior High School (Greenville, South Carolina) alumni