Namesake:
Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd
Medal of Honor citation of Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd (as printed in
his official Navy Office of Information Biography, June 1974):
"For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete
disregard of his own life, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl
Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese Forces on December 7, 1941. He
immediately went to the bridge and as Commander Battleship Division
ONE, courageously discharged his duties as Senior Officer Present
Afloat until the USS ARIZONA, his Flagship, blew up from magazine
explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge, which resulted in the
loss of his life." Kidd was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 26, 1884
and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1906. His
distinguished career included participation in the World Cruise of the
"Great White Fleet" 1907-1909 aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. He
also served in the battleship USS North Dakota, and the cruiser USS
Pittsburgh. He served as aide and flag secretary to the commander in
chief, Pacific Fleet, the first of his many staff assignments and was
an instructor at the United States Naval Academy from 1916-17.
During and after the First World War, Kidd was stationed aboard
battleship USS New Mexico, and later he had staff and Naval Academy
service. He was executive officer of the battleship USS Utah and
commanded the support ship USS Vega until his assignment as Captain of
the Port at Chrisobal, Panama Canal Zone from 1927-30.
Promoted to the rank of Captain, he was chief of staff to commander,
Base Force, U.S. Fleet in 1930-32. After three years at the Bureau of
Navigation in Washington, D.C., he was commander Destroyer Squadron
One, Scouting Force, in 1935-36.
Captain Kidd next attended the Naval War College and served on the
College staff. He was commanding officer of the battleship USS Arizona
from September 1938 until February 1940. He was promoted to Rear
Admiral and assigned as commander Battleship Division One and chief of
staff to commander, Battleships, Battle Force.
On Dec. 7, 1941, he was killed in action on board USS Arizona during
Japanese Navy’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Kidd was posthumously
awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Pearl Harbor
attack. He was the first flag officer to lose his life in World War II,
and the first in the U.S. Navy to meet death in action against any
foreign enemy.
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