World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseIsaac Campbell Kidd was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1884 and graduated in 1906. He served aboard battleship New Jersey (BB-16) during the Great White Fleet cruise between 1907 and 1909 and then served in various posts until 1916, when he became an instructor at the Naval Academy. During WW1, he served aboard battleship New Mexico (BB-40). He held several land and sea posts during the inter-war years, becoming a rear admiral immediately before United States' entry into WW2. During the Pearl Harbor attack, he was aboard the battleship Arizona, formerly of his commission between 1938 and 1940. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

ww2dbaseKidd was the first US Navy flag officer to be killed in action in WW2.

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Isaac Kidd Timeline

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3.  David Stubblebine says:
10 Feb 2014 09:04:14 PM

Admiral Kidd’s Medal of Honor citation reads:
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.