USS Bellatrix, a 8045-ton cargo ship, was built at Tampa, Florida, originally for civilian employment. She was transferred to the Navy in April 1941, while still under construction, and commissioned in February 1942. She served in the Pacific during most of the rest of 1942, taking part in the invasion of Guadalcanal in August and thereafter supporting the campaign to hold that island by bringing in badly-needed supplies. Bellatrix, which had been recently reclassified as an attack cargo ship with the new hull number AKA-3, returned to the U.S. east coast in March 1943. She crossed to Atlantic soon thereafter, participated in the invasion of Sicily in July, then went back to the U.S. and returned to the south Pacific later in the year. A supply run from New Zealand to the Gilbert Islands was terminated prematurely by engine trouble in November, and Bellatrix had to go to San Francisco, California, for repairs.
Back in service by March 1944, Bellatrix took part in the June invasion of Saipan. For the rest of the Pacific War she was employed as an amphibious training ship off the southern California coast. She briefly carried cargo in California waters in late 1945 and early 1946. Decommissioned in April 1946, Bellatrix was turned over to the Maritime Commission in July of that year.
The Korean War crisis brought Bellatrix back into Navy service. She was reacquired in August 1951 and recommissioned in May 1952. She performed logistics duties in the Pacific until June 1953, then conducted training off California until early 1955. Bellatrix was again decommissioned in June 1955. After eight years in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she was transferred to Peru in July 1963. Serving for almost three decades in that nation's navy under the name Independencia, the old ship was finally sold for scrapping in October 1991.
This page features all the views we have related to USS Bellatrix (AK-20, later AKA-3).
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: 19-N-28450 USS Bellatrix (AK-20) Off Tampa, Florida, circa March 1942. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 91926 USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) Underway, circa the mid-1950s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 91925 USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) Photographed circa the mid-1950s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 84532 USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) Annotated antenna arrangement photograph, taken at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California, 1 February 1955. The lines of light radio antennas have been retouched to make them more visible. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 580 pixels |
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Photo #: SC 175921 Sicily Invasion, July 1943 "D-Day" scene on "Red" Beach at Gela, Sicily, 10 July 1943. USS LCI(L)-220 is broached at left, with a LCM from USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) unloading just off her bow. Two LCVPs are also broached along the surf line. Note jeep in center and 5-gallon fuel cans. Photographed by Osborne. Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 116KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Bellatrix (AK-20 and AKA-3). The following list features some of these images:
The images listed below are NOT in
the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 19 August 1943. Starboard bow high aerial view, taken from a Naval Air Station Norfolk aircraft. USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 19 August 1943. Starboard broadside aerial view, taken from a Naval Air Station Norfolk aircraft. A harbor tug is in the foreground. USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) docked at Pearl Harbor Naval Supply Center, 16 April 1953. Starboard bow surface view. USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) underway at sea, 28 September 1953. Port bow aerial view. Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 29 January 2002
New image added 1 February 2002