Grandson of Navy Admiral Killed on USS Arizona Dies
Thursday, September 28, 2023
HONOLULU – Retired Navy Capt. Isaac C. Kidd III, whose grandfather Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd was killed aboard the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941, died Sept. 23 in Maryland. Capt. Kidd served 30 years on active duty and the reserves and went by the nickname Cappy. He was 79. The Kidd name is revered in Navy circles. From 1938 to 1940, Rear Admi-ral Kidd was commanding officer of the USS Arizona. He was later assigned as commander of Battleship Division One, which included the battleships Arizona, Pennsylvania and Nevada. Cappy Kidd’s grandfather was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on board the USS Arizona. He was the highest-ranking casualty that fateful day which thrust American into World War II. He was also the first flag officer killed in World War II. Admiral Kidd’s son was Admi-ral Isaac C. Kidd, Jr. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and was the keynote speaker at the 1980 opening of the visitor center at Pearl Harbor. He died in 1999. In 2010, a new visitor center was opened thanks to donations raised by the Arizona Memorial Museum Association. AMMA is now known as Pacific Historic Parks. The non-profit sup-ports the National Park Service in the stewardship of Pearl Harbor National Memorial. For decades it has been the state’s most popular visitor destination drawing guests from around the world. In October 2019, PHP invited Cappy Kidd and his wife Pamela to Honolulu to celebrate its 40th birthday as a non-profit cooperating association. He was the keynote speaker at an event at the park and another event attended by then Governor David Ige and his wife Dawn along with military and civilian dignitaries.
The evening event was held at a wine bar and restaurant in Honolulu. A copy of his speech is attached. It will also be re-membered for the bagpipers that Cappy Kidd hired to introduce his speech with patriotic songs. “His passing is such sad news as Cappy was a terrific ambassador of Pearl Harbor history and a big supporter of PHP,” said Aileen Utterdyke, Presi-dent and CEO of Pacific Historic Parks. “He told great stories about his grandpa and dad, and also about his time in Hawaii as a student and some of the famous people he met in Hawaii.”
Pearl Harbor National Memorial Superintendent Tom Leatherman and Utterdyke visited Cappy and Pam last March in Washington DC. “It was a delightful get together. Cappy will be dearly missed. Our prayers go out to Pamela and the Kidd family,” Utterdyke said.
Funeral services are being arranged by Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home.
Contact: Jim McCoy 808-373-0419