The USS Bellatrix was laid down as the Fleetwood on 16 October 1944 in Oakland, California, by the Moore Dry Dock Company under the Maritime Commission contract.

On 22 August 1961 the Fleetwood was transferred back to the US Navy, who converted the vessel into a USN stores ship at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, with work being completed on 13 October 1961.

The Bellatrix provided logistical support for Joint Task Force 8, responsible for Operation Dominic I and II, which tested nuclear weapons at Christmas Island.

The remainder of that deployment was spent re-supplying Navy ships via both underway and in-port replenishment including visits to Yokosuka, Sasebo, Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Bellatrix AF-62 earned five battle stars during the Vietnam War: Her crew was eligible for the following medals and citations: This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.