In May 1942, Bellinger was appointed Commander, Patrol Aircraft, Pacific Fleet under Admiral Chester Nimitz. He helped plan the at Midway and Nimitz sent him to Washington, D.C. in July 1942 to deliver his reorganization plan for Naval aviation in the Pacific to Admiral Ernest J. King, the Chief of Naval Operations. While there, Bellinger undertook a routine physical examination at Bethesda Naval Hospital, which discovered that he had a mild heart condition. His combat career ended and he was ordered to less stressful assignment.