Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory during World War II. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Arizona Battleship Division One. Kidd was 57 years old.
Kidd was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. 16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 4, 1942.
Kidd was born on March 26, 1884 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Ohio. He is buried at Remains not recovered from U.S.S. Arizona.
Kidd is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 256 credited to Ohio.
Official 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, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Rear Adm. Kidd immediately went to the bridge and, as Commander Battleship Division One, courageously discharged his duties as senior officer present afloat until the U.S.S. Arizona, his flagship, blew up from magazine explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the loss of his life.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (December 7, 1941).
- Age at death: 57
- Resting place: Remains not recovered from U.S.S. Arizona
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Isaac Campbell Kidd received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II, World War I.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Education: Lincoln-West High School, United States Naval Academy
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Timeline
- March 26, 1884Born in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- December 7, 1941Act of valor — Pearl Harbor, Hawaii TerritoryAge 57. U.S.S. Arizona Battleship Division One Killed in action.
- March 4, 1942Medal of Honor presented posthumously
- Resting placeRemains not recovered from U.S.S. Arizona
Biography
Isaac Campbell Kidd (March 26, 1884 – December 7, 1941) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He was the father of Admiral Isaac C. Kidd Jr. Kidd Sr. was killed on the bridge of USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The highest-ranking casualty at Pearl Harbor, he became the first U.S. Navy flag officer killed in action in World War II as well as the first killed in action against any foreign enemy. He was a posthumous recipient of the nation's highest military honor—the Medal of Honor. A Fletcher-class destroyer, Kidd (DD-661), was commissioned in his honor on April 23, 1943.
From the Wikipedia article “Isaac C. Kidd”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
