USS Bear (1874)

The "Bear" was built in 1874 as a sealer at Dundee, Scotland shipyards. It was heavy built with six inch (15.2 cm) thick sides

In 1884, she was sold to the U.S. government and took part in the search for the Greely Expedition, whose seven survivors were found at Cape Sabine.

US Revenue Cutter Service

From 1885 to 1926, "Bear" served as a U.S. Revenue Cutter Service cutter stationed in Alaska, where she looked out for seal poachers, shipwrecked whalers, and illicit trade with Alaska Natives, ferried reindeer from Siberia to Alaska, and served as a floating courthouse. By order of the Department of the Treasury the "Bear" was given free run to arrest and seize possessions of poachers, smugglers and illegal traders, as well as take census of people and ships, record geological/astronomical information, take note of tides, and escort whaling ships. One captain of the "Bear", Michael "Hell Roaring Mike" Healy, was considered a savior to many of the whalers and native Eskimos, as he bought Siberian reindeer at his own expense for the starving natives to use as the foundation for a new herd in Alaska. During one of its yearly trips back to San Francisco, the "Bear" assisted in rescue operations for the 1906 earthquake catastrophe.

The Revenue Cutter Service became part of the US Coast Guard in 1915 and the ship was renamed the USCGC "Bear".

"Bear of Oakland"

Laid up at Oakland in 1926 and transferred to the city for use as a museum ship, "Bear" starred as the sealer "Macedonia" in the 1930 film version of Jack London's "The Sea-Wolf".

The "Bear of Oakland" was used in the second Byrd Expedition alongside the USMS "North Star". After the expedition, Admiral Byrd leased the large barkentine style ship to the Navy for one dollar a year.

During the 1939-1940 Antarctic voyage, the renamed USS "Bear" carried a Barkley-Grow seaplane on board. Lieutenant Commander Richard H. Cruzen was captain of "Bear" for this mission.

The USS "Bear" assisted in the 1941 evacuation of Antarctica after America's entrance into World War II. "Bear" arrived at Mikkelsen Island, just north of the Arctic Circle, on March 16, 1941 and its crew helped to build an adequate airstrip to evacuate personnel and equipment from the base in the area.

World War II and after

From 1941 to 1944, USS "Bear" served in the Northeast Atlantic "Greenland" Patrol. The rigging was cut down to two masts to became a fully motorized ship with auxiliary wind power. "Bear" made the first capture of a vessel by the US in World War II when it found the German ship "Busko" setting up a U-boat radio transceiver. When up-to-date ships were available to replace her, "Bear" was laid up in Boston until the end of the war.

Purchased for the sealing trade in 1948 by Frank M. Shaw of Montreal for $5199 and renamed "Arctic Bear", her refit proved too costly; she was laid up in Halifax and abandoned in the mud banks.

Sinking

In 1963, while in tow to Philadelphia for use as a floating restaurant, she foundered about convert|250|mi east of New York at 42°40N, 65°11W. She went down early in the morning of March 19, 1963, convert|250|mi east of Boston after a gale struck and severed the tow line. The mast collapsed and punctured the hull causing the fateful sinking.