USS Robert A. Owens Shipmates Association

SHIPS HISTORICAL PAGES

The following page(s) will attempt to contain all the historical data that can be gathered on the USS Robeert A. Owens, from physical make up to Commanding Officers. Entries must be pre-approved by Association Officers prior to posting and will be checked for data and chronological accuracy. If any errors are noted, please provide proof of required change to the Association Web Master for correction. jerryjackson@ussrobertaowens827.org
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USS ROBERT A. OWENS - COMMANDERS
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USS ROBERT A. OWENS - SIGNIFICANT EVENTS & LIST OF COMMANDERS
From: William Roadfuss <roadfusswt@gmail.com>
Subject: Sgt Owens/GySgt Basilone
Date: August 25, 2016 at 4:11:53 PM EDT

Hey John, 
Thanks for your letter to the Inky about Sgt Owens. He is absolutely worthy to be named for a new Arliegh Burke class destroyer. He is a Giant of the Corps.

Yes, he and Basilone did receive the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross. I must point out, however, that John Basilone received the MOH during a ceremony held in Melbourne after the Guadalcanal campaign and the Navy Cross posthumously for his action in wiping out a number of machine gun bunkers on the first day of the Iwo Jima campaign (February 19, 1945), two and a half years after his service on Guadalcanal. Basilone was fed up with the war bond drives and requested to be sent back into combat, which was reluctantly granted. 

Sgt Owens awards were for the same action on Bougainville, with the Navy Cross presented posthumously and the MOH upgraded for the same action. 

These are the differences and I want to thank you for your Navy service and the pleasure of serving on a fine destroyer named after, as I mentioned above, a Giant of the Corps, USS Robert A Owens. I hope your reunion goes well. I'm sure it will. 

Semper Fi, 

Bill Roadfuss
1stSgt USMC (Ret)
Croydon, PA

P.S. Our son is an active duty Navy CDR. 
PICTURED BELOW
(From John Renown): Hello Folks, Came across this excellent photo of our ship in the Turkish Navy as the Alcitepe. Our ship had a very long life.

(Comment from Orhan Sengul in response to the picture): Roger that....I was one of the original Turkish Crew took over from US Navy..TCG Alcitepe was just as vibrant as USS Owens.... Great ship, great crew on both sides and great times in Newport RI.
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