NOAAS '' Ronald H. Brown '' ( R 104 ) is a blue-water research vessel of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , she is NOAA 's only Global-Class research ship . The ship is named for United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown , who was killed while in office in a plane crash on 3 April 1996 while on a trade mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina . '' Ronald H. Brown '' ′ s keel was laid at VT Halter Marine 's Moss Point shipyard in Pascagoula , Mississippi , in February 1995 , and she was launched on 30 May 1996 . NOAA commissioned her on 19 July 1997 at her home port , Charleston , South Carolina . She was NOAA 's first newly built oceanographic research vessel in 17 years
plane crash
1996 Croatia USAF CT-43 crash
NOAAS Ronald H. Brown (R 104)