Kidd assumed command of the battleship ARIZONA, serving until February 1940. He returned to the Naval Academy in August 1916 and was serving as an instructor on the Academic Staff when the United States entered World War I. Following this tour, he served as Aide and Flag Secretary on the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, aboard the flagships PITTSBURGHĪnd SAN DIEGO. He then joined USS PITTSBURGH on June 30, 1913, and during the Mexican trouble of 1914-16 he served as First Lieutenant. He transferred on May 2, 1910, to USS NORTH DAKOTA, where he served until June 1913, except for target practice and training duty at Annapolis during the winter of 1911-12. During this tour, he completed the two years at sea then required before commissioning and was commissioned an Ensign, USN, on February 13, 1908. Passed Midshipman Kidd first served on USS COLUMBIA, which carried the Marine Expeditionary Force to the Canal Zone and participated in the round-the-world cruise of the “Great White Fleet.” On May 17, 1907, he reported to USS NEW JERSEY. Naval Academy, from which he graduated as a Passed Midshipman on February 12, 1906. On appointment from his native state, he then entered the U.S. He was educated in Cleveland’s public schools, graduating from West High School in 1902. He was born on March 26, 1884, to Isaac and Jemina Campbell Kidd. RADM Kidd was a native of Cleveland, Ohio. RADM Kidd was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. USS KIDD (DD-661), USS KIDD (DDG-993), and USS KIDD (DDG 100) were all named for Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr., one of the first American naval heroes of World War II. Many a sea story revolve around the antics that transpired which led to that salty and rambunctious reputation. Throughout the course of World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War, the crews of USS KIDD became known as “the Pirates of the Pacific”. The image of a swashbuckling pirate was painted on both sides of the ship’s forward smokestack and the skull and crossbones of the Jolly Roger often flew from her mast. Fleet on December 07, 1941.īut when KIDD’s first crew was busy outfitting the ship in the Brooklyn Navy Shipyards in March and April of 1943, they quickly adopted the legendary pirate William Kidd as their mascot. She was in point of fact named after Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr., who was killed aboard USS ARIZONA at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on the U.S. One of the most common misconceptions regarding USS KIDD (DD-661) is that of her namesake. Ghosts of New York Blog 19 Captain Kidd of Liberty Island © 2018 by Dr.The origin story of our nickname, “The Pirate of the Pacific.” Both swore it was the specter of dead irate, disturbed their digging and hell-bent on protecting the treasure. The ghost of the dead pirate rose from its grave next to the treasure chest to cause them to faint.īoth swore to have seen a demonic figure rise from the soil, breathe sulfuric fumes, and glide along the ground in a menacing fashion. They found the treasure box but before they could open it up. He and a companion sought to find the buried treasure of Captain Kidd. Gibbs and Private Carpenter were assigned to the fort in 1825. Pirates used to be hanged at nearby Gibbet Island which is known as Ellis Island today. It is framed by walls of the old Fort Wood at Liberty Island. He is also reported to be the guardian of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. He was tried and hanged in England.Ĭaptain Kidd’s ghost has been seen at Trinity Church Yard in search of the grave he should have been buried in. He was a privateer licensed to raid enemy ships in wartime but he seemed to have raided even English ships. He was one of most active parishioners of Trinity Church. Captain William Kidd contributed his services to the building of the original Trinity Church by providing a winch to lift the stones to build the church steeple when the church was built around 1700.
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