| Isaac Kidd USN participated in the Second World War. Join: World War II Project Discuss: world_war_II |
Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd was an important naval officer killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, an attack which influenced the United States to participate in World War II.[1]
Isaac Campbell Kidd was born in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, on 26 March 1884.[2][1][3][4][5][6] He was the son of a Presbyterian Irish immigrant, Isaac Kidd and Jemima (Campbell) Kidd.[7][2][6]
Isaac Kidd married Inez Gillmore 29 April 1911 at Cuyahoga County, Ohio.[7] They had one child, ADM Isaac C. Kidd, Jr. USN
Isaac entered the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, USA in 1902[4][6], graduating with the class of 1906 in February of that year, and was commissioned an Ensign in 1908.[3] Kidd participated in the 1907-09 "Great White Fleet" cruise around the world while serving on the USS New Jersey (BB-16).[3][4] Following service on the USS North Dakota (BB-29)[8][4][9] and the USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4), he became Aide and Flag Secretary to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet[4], the first of his many flag staff assignments. He was an instructor at the Naval Academy in 1916-17.[3][4]
During and after the First World War, Kidd was stationed on the USS New Mexico (BB-40)[4], then had further staff and Naval Academy service.[4] He was executive officer of the USS Utah (BB-31) in 1925-26, then commanded the USS Vega (AK-17) until becoming Captain of the Port at Chrisobal, Panama Canal Zone in 1927-30.[4] 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.[4]
Captain Kidd next attended the Naval War College and served on the college staff.[10] He was Commanding Officer of USS Arizona (BB-39) from September 1938 until February 1940, when he was promoted to Rear Admiral and assigned as Commander Battleship Division ONE and Chief of Staff to Commander, Battleships, Battle Force.[3][4]
Three U.S. Navy destroyers have been named in honor of Rear Admiral Kidd: USS Kidd (DD-661), 1943-1974 (still afloat as a memorial at Baton Rouge, Louisiana), USS Kidd (DD-993), 1979-1998 (sold to Taiwan), and USS Kidd (DDG-100), 2005 and still in service as of 2014.[3]
The 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."
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Thank you to Robert Keniston for creating Kidd-1247 on 21 Nov 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Robert and others.
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Can I jump in and lend a hand? Let me know when you're done and I'll give her a once over. It's looking great!
Abby
I am going to feature RADM Kidd in the Connection Finder next week in honor of the Pearl Harbor attack. You've done a great job with his profile! Do you want to add some inline citations or would you rather I tweaked things a little? Either way is fine with me. I might also add a background and make him part of the World War II project, if that's okay? He deserves the visibility :-)
Let me know what you think!
Thanks, Abby
Isaac is 23 degrees from Zendaya Coleman, 26 degrees from Sting Sumner, 19 degrees from Josh Brolin, 24 degrees from Timothée Chalamet, 22 degrees from José Ferrer, 19 degrees from Frank Herbert, 17 degrees from Richard Jordan, 22 degrees from David Lynch, 20 degrees from Virginia Madsen, 22 degrees from Charlotte Rampling, 22 degrees from Patrick Stewart and 23 degrees from Denis Villeneuve on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
K > Kidd > Isaac Campbell Kidd USN
Categories: United States Naval Academy | USS New Jersey (BB-16), United States Navy | USS North Dakota (BB-29), United States Navy | USS New Mexico (BB-40), United States Navy, World War I | USS Utah (BB-31), United States Navy | USS Vega (AK-17), United States Navy | USS Arizona (BB-39), United States Navy | United States Navy, World War I | United States Navy, World War II | United States Navy Admirals, World War II | Pearl Harbor Attack | Example Profiles of the Week | United States Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland | Purple Heart | Medal of Honor | Killed in Action, United States of America, World War II