Isaac C. Kidd

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Isaac Campbell Kidd
March 26, 1884 - December 7, 1941
Captain (future Rear Admiral) Isaac C. Kidd, USN in a picture taken while he was Chief of Staff to the Commander, Base Force, U.S. Fleet
Place of birth	Cleveland, Ohio
Place of death	killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor
Allegiance	USN
Years of service	1906-1941
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands	Battleship Division I
Battles/wars	World War II, Attack on Pearl Harbor
Awards	Medal of Honor

Isaac Campbell Kidd (March 26, 1884 – December 7, 1941) was an American Rear Admiral in the United States Navy who was killed on the bridge of the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the father of Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, Jr.. He was a posthumous recipient of his nation's highest military honor — the Medal of Honor. The highest ranking casualty at Pearl Harbor, he became the first US Navy flag officer killed in action in World War II as well as the first killed in action against any foreign enemy.

Kidd was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1884. He entered the Naval Academy in 1902, graduating with the Class of 1906 in February of that year. He was commissioned an Ensign in 1908. Kidd participated in the 1907-09 Great White Fleet cruise around the World while serving in USS New Jersey (BB-16). Following service in USS North Dakota (BB-29) and USS Pittsburgh, he became Aide and Flag Secretary to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, the first of his many flag staff assignments. He was an instructor at the Naval Academy in 1916-17.

During and after the World War I, Kidd was stationed on New Mexico, then had further staff and Naval Academy service. He was executive officer of the battleship Utah in 1925-26, then commanded USS Vega until becoming Captain of the Port at Chrisobal, Panama Canal Zone in 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.

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Rear Admiral Kidd was Commander of Battleship Division ONE and Chief of Staff and Aide, Commander, Battleship Battle Force. At the first knowledge of the attack, he rushed to the bridge of Arizona, his flagship, and "courageously discharged his duties as Senior Officer Present Afloat until Arizona blew up from a magazine explosion and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the loss of his life." His body was never recovered; Navy salvage divers located his Naval Academy ring fused to a bulkhead on Arizona's bridge.

He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. His other awards include the World War I Victory Medal with Atlantic Fleet Clasp, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Cuban Pacification Medal, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one engagement star, and the Mexican Service Medal.

Three Navy destroyers have been named in his honor; see USS Kidd.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

"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."