Heck was built as an "auxiliary survey vessel" (ASV) for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey at the Jackobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay, New York. She was launched on 1 November 1966[1] and delivered to the Coast and Geodetic Survey on 11 March 1967. She was commissioned on 29 March 1967[1] as USC&GS Heck (ASV 91).[2] When the Coast and Geodetic Survey merged with other United States Government organizations to form NOAA on 3 October 1970, Heck became part of the NOAA fleet as NOAAS Heck (S 591).
Heck and her sister ship USC&GS Rude (ASV 90), later NOAAS Rude (S 590), were designed to conduct wire-drag survey operations together, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey acquired them to replace the survey ships USC&GS Hilgard (ASV 82) and USC&GS Wainwright (ASV 83) in that role. Like Hilgard and Wainright before them, Rude and Heck worked together under a single command conducting wire-drag surveys, clearing large swaths between them with a submerged wire. During their careers, however, electronic and acoustic technologies arrived that allowed a single ship to do the same work as two wire-drag vessels, using side-scan sonar or multibeam sonar. As a result, Heck and Rude began to operate independently in 1989, employing the improved technology.
Hecks deck equipment featured one winch and one telescoping boom crane, giving her a lifting capacity of up to 7500lb, as well 500abbr=offNaNabbr=off of cable that could pull up to 250lb. She had 11 bunk spaces, and her mess room could seat seven. She was equipped for diving operations to allow human investigation of submerged obstacles. She had a 19feet fiberglass launch for utility or rescue operations.
Heck spent her career operating along the United States East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
In 1978, Heck and Rude came to the assistance of the burning research vessel Midnight Sun, rescuing Midnight Suns crew and scientists and saving the vessel from total loss. Rudes crew took aboard all 20 of Midnight Suns crew members and scientists, who were afloat in life rafts near Midnight Sun, administered first aid to them, and transported them to shore. Hecks crew, meanwhile, fought the fire aboard Midnight Sun for 20 consecutive hours and saved Midnight Sun from sinking. For their efforts in saving Midnight Sun and her crew, the crews of Rude and Heck received the Department of Commerce Silver Medal in 1978.
Heck was decommissioned on 25 October 1995,[1] stricken in 1996,[1] and sold in 2001.
In a ceremony on 23 October 1978 in Washington, D.C., Heck and Rude were awarded the Department of Commerce Silver Medal for "rare and distinguished contributions of major significance to the Department, the nation, and the world."[3] for their assistance to Midnight Sun.[3] The program for the ceremony cited the ships' achievements as follows:
LCDR Robert V. Smart, LTJG Kenneth G. Vadnais, ENS Samuel P. De Bow, Jr., Messrs. William N. Brooks, Johnnie B. Davis, James S. Eamons, Kenneth M. Jones, Frank Krusz, Jr., Anthony W. Styron, and Eijah J. Willis of the NOAA Ship RUDE and LCDR Thomas W. Ruszala, LTJG Charles E. Gross, and Messrs. Mark Aldridge, Horace B. Harris, Charles J. Gentilcore, Dennis S. Brickhouse, Robert T. Lindton, Arnold K. Pedersen, Joseph Wiggins, and James P. Taylor of the NOAA Ship HECK are recognized for rescuing the crew and scientists from the burning vessel M/V MIDNIGHT SUN and saving the vessel from total loss. The crew of the NOAA Ship RUDE safely took aboard all 20 crew members of the burning vessel who were afloat in life rafts near the vessel. First aid was administered, and the crew members of the disabled ship were transported safely to shore. The crew of the NOAA Ship HECK displayed outstanding seamanship through their efforts over 20 consecutive hours to fight the fire. The actions of the two ships' crew members demonstrated superior performance and exceptional courage in a maritime emergency beyond the call of duty.[3]