NOAA 00-R801 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jeanne Kouhestani 1/5/00 |
Fisheries research ship is homeported in Pascagoula, Miss. The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded its Gold Medal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Oregon II, operated and managed by the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, for heroic rescue efforts that resulted in saving three lives at sea off Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 28, 1999. Jim Rowe, who serves as master (civilian
captain) of Oregon II, was presented the award Dec. 7
by Commerce
Secretary William Daley at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Oregon II at that time was commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Steve Thompson, NOAA Corps. It is currently under the command of civilian Master Jim Rowe of NOAA. The ship, home ported in Pascagoula, Miss., conducts fishery research in waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The Secretary grants the Gold Medal -- the Department's highest honorary award -- for extraordinary achievements in support of the Department's critical objectives. These achievements have a significant beneficial effect on the nation, and sometimes the world. |