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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bellatrix (AKA-3)
ex
USS Bellatrix (AK-20) (1942 - 1943)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Oscar - Juliet
NAOJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (1) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal

USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) was transferred to Peru and renamed BAP Independencia (D-130)

Arcturus Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down as SS Raven, a Maritime Commission type (C2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 126) at Tampa Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Tampa FL.

Acquired by the US Navy, 16 April 1941

Launched, 15 August 1941

Commissioned USS Bellatrix (AK-20), 17 February 1942, CDR. William F. Dietrich USN in command

Redesignated Attack Cargo Ship, (AKA-3), 1 February 1943

During the World War II USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) was assigned to both the Asiatic-Pacific and European Theaters and participated in the:

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Sicilian occupation 10 to 11 July 1943	Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings 7 to 10 August 1942
.	Capture and defense of Guadalcanal 13 September 1942 to 15 January 1943
.	Gilbert Islands operation Attack and occupation of Tarawa, 20 to 25 November 1943
.	Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 to 21 June 1944

Decommissioned, 1 April 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1946

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 30 June 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet

Reacquired by the Navy, 27 August 1951

Recommissioned, 16 May 1952, CAPT. Stanley W. Carr, USNR, in command

During the Korean War USS Bellatrix (AKA-3) participated in the:

**Korean War Campaign**
Campaign and Dates
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 17 to 18 October 1952

Decommissioned, 3 June 1955, at San Francisco. CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet

Stuck from the Naval Register, 6 June 1960

Reinstated on the Naval Vessel Register on 15 March 1963

Transferred on loan to Peru in July 1963, renamed BAP Independencia (D-130)

Stuck from the Naval Register, 14 November 1963

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in 1991

USS Bellatrix received five battle stars in World War II and one battle star for Korean War service

Specifications:
Displacement 7,480 t. (lt) 14,225 t. (fl.)
Length 459' 3"
Beam 63'
Draft 25' 6"
Speed 16.5 kts.
Complement 267
Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

eight single 40 mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
Propulsion single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Bellatrix (AK-20)
	78k	*USS Bellatrix* (AK-20)*, off Tampa, FL., circa March 1942. Her camouflage is Design 12(modified). US National Archives photo # 19-N-28450*, a US Navy photo form the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the collections of the US National Archives.	US Naval Historical Center.
USS Bellatrix (AKA-3)
	67k	Bows on view of *USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** while at anchor off San Francisco, CA., 10 March 1944. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 1669-44, 3/10/44	Darryl Baker
	86k	Stern view of *USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** while at anchor off San Francisco, CA., 10 March 1944. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 1670-44, 3/10/44	Darryl Baker
	61k	Broadside view of *USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** while at anchor off San Francisco, CA., 10 March 1944. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 1671-44, 3/10/44	Darryl Baker
	93k	Amidship view, looking forward of *USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** while moored pierside at San Francisco, CA., 13 March 1944. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 1637-44, 3/13/44	Darryl Baker
	101k	Amidship view, looking aft of *USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** while moored pierside at San Francisco, CA., 13 March 1944. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 1638-44, 3/13/44	Darryl Baker
	106k	*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** underway, circa the mid-1950s. US Navy photo # NH 91925, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Tom Kermen, courtesy of Pete Killie, for his father, Ronald Killie, USS Bellatrix 1943.
	39k	*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** underway, circa 1953, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	138k	*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)** underway, date and location unknown.	Tom Kermen, courtesy of Bill Gurrola.
	123k	*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)*, annotated antenna arrangement photograph, taken at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, CA. 1 February 1955. The lines of light radio antennas have been retouched to make them more visible. US Navy photo # NH 84532*, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center.
	104k	*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3)*, underway, circa the mid-1950s. US Navy photo # NH 91926*, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center.
BAP Independencia (D-130)
	35k	Ex-*USS Bellatrix* (AKA-3) in Peruvian naval service as BAP Independencia (D-130)** at anchor, circa 1966, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	67k	*BAP Independencia* (D-130)** moored pierside at Hamburg, Germany, October 1977.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus