James Owens

JAMES OWENS, JR. 84, OF PATERSON, NJ, FORMERLY OF MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT, PASSED ON PEACEFULLY, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2010. HE ENTERED THE UNITED STATES NAVY 1943, AND RETIRED, AUGUST 1973 AS HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD. DURING HIS 30 YEARS OF SERVICE, IN THE NAVY, HE SERVED ON THE FOLLOWING VESSELS AND STATIONS: US NAVAL STATION, BAINBRIDGE, MARYLAND, USS WEST POINT,CVB 10 AND ADVANCE NAVY SUPPLY DEPOT (SOUTH PACIFIC), US NAVAL STATION, TREASURE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA,US NAVAL STATION, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, IN CHINA : USS MAUMEE, USS REPOSE, USS TOWALIGA AND USS LSM 454. USS MIDWAY, BOCACHICA FIELD, N.A.S., KEY WEST,FLORIDA,US NAVAL BASE, TRINIDAD,BWI, NSNTC, TRINIDAD, USS ORISKANY, USNTC, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, RECRUITING STATION,CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, USS SEA ROBIN, USS NAUTILUS, USS SARGO, USS THOMAS JEFFERSON,USS SKATE, USS GEORGE BANCROFT, USS SAM HOUSTON WITH THE LAST 2 YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE NAVCRUIT STATION IN WASHINGTON,DC AND NEW YORK NEW YORK. MEDALS AND AWARDS: AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH EUROPE CLASP, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, OVER 5 GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION SERVICE MEDAL . IN 1960, ABOARD THE SUBMARINE, USS SARGO, HIS MISSION LANDED HIM ATOP THE WORLD AT THE NORTH POLE. MOST NOTABLY, HE WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PIONEER, BEING AMONG THE CREW OF THE WORLDS FIRST NUCLEAR SUBMARINE, USS NAUTILUS (1952) GROTON, CONNECTICUT. HIS STORY IS FEATURED IN “BLACK SUBMARINERS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, 1940-1975”, MCFARLAND 2003. HE IS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, PEARL A. OWENS (ROBERSON), 1995 AND JAMES OWENS SR, 1973 AND FORMER WIFE THE LATE JUANITA C. OWENS (nee ZEEK) 2002. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING AND DEVOTED CHILDREN, TERESA L. OWENS-CARTER, DARNICE C. OWENS-DIXON AND MICHAEL OWENS, SON-IN-LAW KENNETH DIXON & DAUGHTER-IN- LAW WANDA OWENS, GRAND CHILDREN TIFFANY NIKKOL SELLERS, JUSTIN CARTER AND 1 GREAT GRAND SON, AIDEN MUNTRESS SELLERS, HALF SISTER, ELIZABETH STRONG, EXTENDED FAMILY AND A HOST OF MILITARY FRIENDS. . IN LIEU OF FLOWERS DONATIONS TO AMVETS NATIONAL SERVICE FOUNDATION AT WWW.AMVETSNF.ORG WOULD BE APPRECIATED.