The USS Kidd (DD-661) is a Fletcher-class destroyer built at Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Kearny, N.J. She was named after Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr., who was killed aboard the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The USS Kidd was launched on February 28, 1943, along with three other destroyers, in a record-breaking 14 minutes. Mrs. Inez Kidd, widow of Rear Admiral Kidd, was the ship's sponsor.

On Kidd's first voyage across New York Harbor for delivery to the Brooklyn Naval Shipyards, she flew the Jolly Roger from her foremast, causing some notoriety. That week, Time magazine printed a photograph of Kidd announcing it was the first time in 100 years that the Jolly Roger had flown in New York Harbor. The crew then adopted the pirate Captain Kidd as their mascot and hired a cartoonist to paint the captain's image high on the forward smokestack. She was later nicknamed "The Pirate of the Pacific" because the crew, taking their mascot to heart, would demand a "ransom" of ice cream mix for rescued pilots. Although all ships "ransomed" pilots at that time, Kidd's crew did it with just a bit more flair. Because of the crew's skill at ransoming pilots, the Kidd was one of the first destroyers to have an ice cream machine, something usually reserved only for larger vessels.

There was another unusual circumstance on Kidd's maiden voyage. Anne Randle, a member of the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES), was to be assigned to the Office of Shipbuilding in New York City. When ordered to take a training tour of the Kearny shipyards, her name, which was listed as "Ens. A. Randle," was placed on the list of personnel scheduled to accompany the destroyer to the Brooklyn Naval Shipyards. At the time, it was considered a woman on board invited bad luck. However, the crew overlooked that tradition and, when the Kidd arrived at the Brooklyn shipyard, the official message sent back to Kearny read, "The WAVE delivered The Kidd at 2:30 today."

The Kidd, commissioned on April 23, commenced her shakedown cruise at Casco Bay, Maine. She saw heavy action in World War II and participated in nearly every important naval campaign in the Pacific, winning eight battle stars.

On April 11, 1945, Kidd was severely crippled by a kamikaze attack. A lone suicide bomber crashed into the forward boiler room killing everyone inside. The bomb carried by the plane was catapulted through the ship and out the other side, where it exploded, wounding 55 men and killing 38. On April 12, under the cover of her sister ships, Kidd made her way toward Ulithi Atoll, burying her dead at sea along the way. Tying up alongside destroyer tender Hamul, the crew began temporary repairs. While all this was going on, the crew of the Hamul cast a brass plaque bearing the names of the Kidd's fallen crewmen. The plaque was mounted on her quarter deck in memory of the 38 crewmen. The Kidd returned to San Diego after the war and was decommissioned on December 10, 1946, and placed in the Reserve Fleet.

Kidd was commissioned back into service on March 28, 1951, during the Korean War, where she won an additional four battle stars for service. On April 24, 1962, Kidd was assigned to the Naval Destroyer School in Newport, R.I. She was decommissioned for the final time on June 19, 1964, after more than 20 years of service. She was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and berthed at Philadelphia until 1982, when ownership of the Kidd was transferred to the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission for use as a floating museum.

Kidd is moored in the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, La., and is the centerpiece of the Louisiana Naval War Memorial. Never modernized, the USS Kidd is the only destroyer to retain its World War II appearance. After years of searching for original equipment and painstaking work, workers have restored the ship to her original configuration. She is one of the most authentic and accurate restorations in the Historic Fleet. Each year on July 4th, Kidd's guns fire in a dramatic reenactment. She is one of the few World War II vessels capable of this feat.

To learn more about the USS Kidd, visit the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Web site at www.usskidd.com.

The Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication Award
The Historical Welded Structure Award is part of the AWS Extraordinary Welding Awards program, which also includes the AWS Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication Award. The Historical Welded Structure Award honors structures at least 35 years old that have had a significant impact on history. The Outstanding Development in Welded Fabrication Award is presented to structures that symbolize advanced engineering and welding technology. Extraordinary Welding Awards can be nominated by any AWS member for consideration by the Past Presidents Committee.

To nominate a structure, ship, bridge, or other feat of engineering that has led to advances in welding design and processes, please contact AWS Communications/Public Relations Manager Amy Nathan at the American Welding Society, 550 NW LeJeune Rd., Miami, FL 33126, telephone (800) 443-9353 ext. 308, outside the U.S. dial (305) 443-9353 ext. 308, or e-mail her at nathan@aws.org.