Bellatrix (AF 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDING OFFICER USS BELLATRIX AF-62 W. H. SHAWCROSS CAPTAIN, U.S. NAVY Born 11 FEBRUARY 1923 in Port Washington, New York, Captain SHAWCROSS joined the naval service in JUNE 1942, via the Naval Aviation Program. He was commissioned 1 JUNE 1943 at the Naval Air Station. Pensacola, Florida, and was designated a Naval Aviator 9 JUNE 1943. While asigned to VT -14 aboard the U.S.S. WASP, Captain SHAWCROSS served with Task Force 38 and 58 during 1944 in the Central Pacfic. During this period of time he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross (one cluster) and the Air Medal (four clusters). His command was also awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. Following the war, he was assigned to VT-17 until August 1946 and was then ordered to Instructor Duty at the NROTC unit, Princeton University. From September 1947 to 19 June 1954 he served in various aviation billets. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University. Captain SHAWCROSS attented the Naval War College, Command and Staff Course in 1954-1955 and In- dustrial College of the Armed Forces during 1962-1963. He has served as the Commanding Officer FITRON 74 and as Navigator of the USS FOR EST AL (CVA-59). Captain SHAWCROSS reports to BELLATRIX from duty in the office of Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Mary Nicholson of Port Washington, New York. They have three children, Gail, 18; Nancy, 14; and William jr 2 1 2.

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A Cruiser receives a netload Hope that shackle holds. From the smallest tot the largest, BELLA TRIX serves the Fleet.

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THE HISTORY OF THE BELLATRIX The BELLATRIX, which was placed in commission on 18 November 1961 as the USS BELLATRIX (AF-62), was originally laid down as SS FLEETWOOD and completed for the Mairitime Commission in June 1945, to serve as a refrigerated stores ship with a cargo capacity exceeding 250,000 cubic feet. She began service under charter from the Maritime Commission to the United Fruit Companv for operation in the North Atlantic. In October 1946 the FLEETWOOD was delivered to the Pacific Far East Line, changing her home port to San Francisco, from which she made regularly scheduled runs to ports throughout the pacific until April 1958. Visiting over twenty-five ports from Kodiak, Alaska to Kanoshsung, Formosa, she made a total of eighty-five voyages during this period carrying military and commericial refrigerated goods to the Orient, In April 1958, she was returned to the Mairtime Commission, which allocated her for use in the Military Sea Transport Service (MSTS), although she continued to be operated by the Pacific Far East Line. The FLEETWOOD remained in this status for almost three and one-half years and twenty-five voyages. Thus, from the time of delivery by the builder until she was turned over to the Navy at Seattle on 22 AUGUST 1961 the FLEETWOOD made the impressive total of one hundred ten transits of the Pacfic, a tribute to her endurance and steady steaming for over sixteen years. After delivery was accepted by the Na ' ' , the FLEETWOOD entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 23 AUGUST 1961 for conversion and fitting outpreparatory to commissioning as an active unit of the Navy. She then became the ex-FLEETWOOD and was boarded by the designers, planners, engineers and workers who began the job of almost completely rebuilding her. Work was undertaken on every deck and in every space from the top of the stack to the bottom of the fuel tanks. All cargo holds were modified to meet the re- quirements of underway replenishment and were pro ' ided with vertical conveyors, quick-acting hatch covers, extra winches and stronger booms. Damage control facilities and a helicopter platform were installed. Ship control spaces were given communications gear for fleet operations and all engineering and propulsion equipment was throughly overhauled and inspected. To accommodate the men who will man her, li ' ing quarters had to be pro dded for a complement of eighteen officers and two hundred forty crew members. All crew spaces in- corporate the latest habitability improvements including air-conditioning. In order to accomplish this task over 70,000 man days and 7,000,000 dollars were expended by the shipyard. The BELLATRIX, as a unit of the Service Squadron Seven, has made six deplov-ments to the Western Pacific since being commissioned on 18 NOVEMBER 1961. The can-do spirit of the officers and crew aboard BELLATRIX has given the ship an enviable reputation of being able to meet and fulfill all commitments in support of the First and Seventh Fleets. During the last cruise BELLATRIX crew members were authorized to wear the ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL for service in support of Vietnam operations, or the Vietnam Medal.