High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Bear was a dual steam-powered and sailing ship built with six inch (15.2 cm) thick sides which had a long life in various cold-water and ice-filled environs. She was a forerunner of modern icebreakers and had an exceptionally diverse service life. According to the United States Coast Guard official website, the Bear is described as "probably the most famous ship in the history of the Coast Guard."