About

Isaac C. 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.

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."