SS '' Bear '' was a dual steam-powered and sailing ship built with - thick sides which had a long life in various cold-water and ice-filled environs . She was a forerunner of modern icebreakers and had a diverse service life . According to the United States Coast Guard official website , '' Bear '' is described as " probably the most famous ship in the history of the Coast Guard . " Built in Scotland in 1874 as a steamer for sealing , she was owned and operated out of Newfoundland for ten years . In the mid-1880s , she took part in the search for the Greely Expedition . Captained by Michael Healy of the United States Revenue Cutter Service ( later part of the U.S. Coast Guard ) , she worked the 20,000-mile coastline of Alaska . She later assisted with relief efforts after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
USS Bear