Training Ship Golden Bear I
(1946-1971)

LOA      424’ 02” (129.85m)          LBP     399’ 01” (121.6m)                 Beam     58’ 00” (17.68m)
Depth   28’ 06” (8.69m)                 Draft    15’ 6” (4.72m) [loaded]         Displacement 6,740 tons


Engine:             Steam Propulsion - Turbo-Electric Drive
                           Two, oil-fired, Wickes boilers
Horsepower:    6,000
Propeller:          Twin Screw, each 11’06” (3.51m) in diameter
Speed:             16.0 knots


Keel laid:                  Sep 25, 1944 at Walsh-Kaiser Shipyard, Providence R.I. (hull #1893)
Launched:                Dec 11, 1944
Commissioned:       Jan 20, 1945 as U.S.S. MELLENA (AKA-32)
                                                                Maritime Commission designation S4-SE2-BE1 type  

One of twelve “Artemis” class Attack Cargo Ships built for the Navy.

Served during World War II in the western Pacific theater, earning six ribbons.

Decommissioned on June 11, 1946 at Mare Island, she was immediately transferred to The California Maritime Academy.

After refit, she was commissioned as T.S. GOLDEN BEAR on September 7, 1946, and could carry 268 officers, cadets and crew. She’s been CMA’s only twin-screw, twin stacked vessel.

Of the 26 major annual cruises performed, probably the most famous would be the “Milk Run” of 1948, carrying relief supplies to the European refugees of World War II.

On May 14, 1971, T.S. GOLDEN BEAR was decommissioned, and then scrapped.