USS KIDD (DDG-993)
 

Though the U.S. Navy rarely names new ships by the same name as an older vessel still afloat, USS KIDD (DD-661) was honored by having her name bestowed upon a modern guided-missile destroyer: USS KIDD (DDG-993). The first of a new class of DDGs built on the modified plans of the Spruance-class, the second KIDD was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her keel was laid on June 26, 1978. Mrs. Angelique Kidd Smith, the granddaughter of RADM Isaac C. Kidd, Sr., served as the ship's sponsor during her launching on August 11, 1979. KIDD was placed into commission on June 27, 1981.

The second ship to bear the name KIDD

prepares to enter the fleet.

KIDD was one of four guided missile destroyers contracted for by Iran in the late 1970s. When Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was forced into exile by revolutionary forces in January of 1979, the United States grew concerned that these four vessels could be delivered to a potentially hostile government. The return of Shi'ite Muslim leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from exile in France and his seizure of power just one month later, confirmed American fears. The Khomeini regime promptly cancelled the contract with Ingalls and the new destroyers were purchased by the U.S. Navy and commissioned into the fleet. As the first of her class, DDG-993 gave her name to the new Kidd-class guided missile destroyers.

Following her shakedown cruise, KIDD deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean on December 08, 1982, under the command of Cdr. William J. Flanagan. While in the Mediterranean, KIDD visited the ports of Palma, Spain; Beirut, Lebanon; and Catania, Italy. She put in at the ports of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, and Mombasa, Kenya, while on station in the Indian Ocean before returning to the Mediterranean and calling on Benidorm, Spain. The deployment ended with her return to Norfolk on June 02, 1983. In September of 1983, KIDD was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E".

On February 16, 1984, KIDD left Norfolk to participate in battle-readiness maneuvers as part of Operation United Effort. She returned home to Norfolk on April 29.

On March 12, 1985, KIDD once again got underway as part of READEX 1-85, Cdr. F.P. Moosally in command. She conducted Caribbean operations from March 28 to April 06, before anchoring at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Following a transit of the Atlantic Ocean, she passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on April 17. While in the Mediterranean, KIDD called on the ports of Taormina, Sicily, and Gaeta and Naples, Italy. She

USS KIDD (DDG-993) in the midst of sea trials.

passed through the Turkish Straits on May 30, 1985 and participated with the Sixth Fleet in operations in the Black Sea through June 03. KIDD cut short a port visit to Haifa, Israel, on June 16 in response to the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. She returned to Haifa on July 15 before visiting Alexandria, Egypt, and Constanta, Romania. Black Sea operations continued with the Sixth Fleet in August. KIDD called on Istanbul, Turkey, before returning to Naples, Italy. She conducted operations in the Western Mediterranean with NIMITZ (CVN-68) through September. Calling on Benidorm, Spain, she then passed through the Straits of Gibraltar again on September 20. After visiting Rota, Spain, KIDD crossed the Atlantic, arriving in Norfolk and ending her deployment on October 02, 1985.

KIDD deployed for the Northern Atlantic on two weeks notice as part of the NIMITZ Battle Group on August 17, 1986, filling in for a nuclear cruiser delayed by Hurricane Charlie. She served as Anti-Air Warfare Commander throughout the transit to Scotland, coordinating battle group response to Soviet reconnaissance flights as well as "exercise" adversaries. Once north of Scotland, KIDD detached from NIMITZ and continued north for "Silent Sam" operations as part of Operation Northern Wedding, crossing the Arctic Circle on August 28. During Northern Wedding, she provided early warning to the Battle Group of all aircraft over flying the Northern Cape, conducted simulated engagements against all "hostile" NATO exercise adversaries, and coordinated the air defense of a major amphibious landing exercise at Melangen fjord in northern Norway.

Moving to Vestfjord on September 03, lookouts aboard KIDD sighted the periscope of a Norwegian Ula-class submarine which had suffered a steering casualty and remained in company until relieved by a Norwegian relief vessel. She was then ordered to shadow IOWA (BB-61), which simulated a Soviet battle cruiser. IOWA attempted to shake KIDD with a precarious nighttime run of the fjords through narrow passages to no avail.

During amphibious landings at Larvik, Norway, KIDD simultaneously controlled flights of F-14 Tomcats, F-18 Hornets, and Marine Corps Harriers making intercepts on simulated "hostiles". She also conducted anti-submarine warfare exercises against Norwegian diesel submarines in concert with three Canadian frigates and provided fire support of the Marines on the beach along with IOWA. With the conclusion of the exercise, Amphibious Task Force Commander RADM Fogarty noted "If asked which cruiser I would like to have as our Anti-Air Warfare Commander, my answer would be USS KIDD!" KIDD was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" for her excellent performance in Northern Wedding.

USS KIDD (DDG-993) on station in the fjords of

Norway during Operation Northern Wedding.

Following Northern Wedding, KIDD called upon Oslo, Norway, on September 20, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on September 27. She returned to Naval Station Norfolk on October 17, 1986.

DDG-993 refueling at sea following

a year-long overhaul.

KIDD was awarded her third Battle Efficiency "E" in September, 1987. At the time, she was deployed as part of the Middle East Force 3-87. She departed Norfolk on June 19, 1987, returning to port on December 04 of that same year.

On August 15, 1988, KIDD began a year-long overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyards. Completing her refit and overhaul, she then proceeded to Norfolk for weapons load-out. She then sailed for the waters off of Puerto Rico to conduct refresher training for her crew and Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials (CCSQT). Following

completion of her post-overhaul shakedown, KIDD made port visits to Mayport Naval Station in Florida; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Boston, Massachusetts; and Booth Bay, Georgia. KIDD was awarded her fourth Battle Efficiency "E" in December, 1989. Upon her return to Norfolk, a change of command took place on July 13, 1990, with Cdr. David R. Ellison relieving Cdr. Phillip M. Balisle as Commanding Officer.

In August, 1990, hostilities erupted in the Middle East as Iraq invaded and conquered neighboring Kuwait. The United Nations immediately placed economic sanctions and a trade embargo on Iraq, threatening military action should Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein not pull out of Kuwait. Saudi Arabia—which bordered Kuwait on the south—requested assistance against the threat of a military incursion. A massive build-up of military forces by U.N. members began, code-named Desert Shield.

On January 09, 1991, in the final days prior to the United Nations deadline for Hussein to pull out of Kuwait, KIDD departed Norfolk, bound for the Persian Gulf along with USS McINERNEY(FFG-8). On January 16, less than twenty-four hours after the deadline had passed, forces under the command of Supreme Allied Commander Norman Schwartzkoff began an aerial bombardment of Iraqi forces, not only in Kuwait, but also in Baghdad. War had begun, code-named Desert Storm. After making a brief landfall in the Azores, KIDD continued onward into the Mediterranean. She arrived at Port Said on January 31 and began her southern transit of the Suez Canal.

KIDD faced several roles while operating in the Gulf, among them the location and destruction of mines and maritime interdiction force (MIF) operations. To assist in these duties, a detachment from Anti-Submarine Light Helicopter Squadron 34 (HSL-34) was embarked. The "Green Checkers" came aboard with two SH-2 helicopters which were used early on in SSSC missions—flying out beyond the visual horizon of the ship to reconnoiter all surface radar contacts. In early April, two U.S. Army OH-58 AHIPS helos were embarked, bringing the total to four aircraft embarked aboard KIDD at one time. Not only were the helicopters used in scouting surface contacts, but they also played

Two Army OH-58 AHIPS helicopters on KIDD's

flight deck during Desert Storm.

a major role in the location and destruction of floating mines which the Iraqis had sown through the Gulf. By the end of her deployment, KIDD was credited with fifteen mine kills

DDG-993 arrives home in Norfolk with a

not-so-subtle paint scheme in the form of a

U.S. flag on the superstructure.

In early June, KIDD was ordered back to Norfolk. Along the way, she participated in several MIF operations in the Red Sea in support of the United Nations embargo against Iraq. HSL-34 provided aerial cover for the destroyer's Visit-Boarding-Search-Seizure (VBSS) team whenever investigating intercepted, suspect merchant vessels. KIDD entered Port Suez for the northern-bound journey up the Canal on June 17.

During the trip home, the crew began work painting an American flag on the ship's forward superstructure. KIDD made landfall at Norfolk on July 03, 1991, ending her deployment in Operation Desert Storm. In December of 1991, she was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" for excellence during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

KIDD departed from Norfolk in for the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific late in October of 1992, to participate in counter narcotics operations off the South American coast. She transited the Panama Canal on November 08. During this deployment, she patrolled Latin American waters as a deterrent to smugglers. A detachment from Anti-Submarine Light Helicopter Squadron 34 (HSL-34) was embarked for this cruise and "Green Checker 232" reconnoitered all unknown surface radar contacts, flying cover for the Visit-Boarding-Search-Seizure (VBSS) team whenever a suspect vessel was intercepted. KIDD called upon Panama City, Panama, and Acapulco, Mexico, before returning to the Caribbean via the Canal. After a brief port visit to Charlotte Amalie Harbor on the island of St. Thomas, she returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.

At the end of this cruise, KIDD was awarded her sixth Battle Efficiency "E" in December of 1992. This was the destroyer's fifth consecutive such award; a first among ships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Attending the ceremony was retired Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, Jr.—son of RADM Kidd, Sr. after whom the destroyer took her name—who presented the crew with the Gold Meatball Pennant which signified five consecutive Battle "E" awards.

Late in 1994, KIDD was assigned to Carrier Task Force 60 (CTF-60) forming around USS EISENHOWER (CVN-69). Departing Norfolk on October 20, KIDD and the other vessels of CTF-60 headed south for a port visit at St. Croix prior to participating in fleet exercises. Crossing the Atlantic, the task force arrived on station in the Adriatic Sea where they remained for sixty-nine days. During this time, the task force provided support of the naval embargo of the war-torn republics of the former Yugoslavia (Operation Sharpguard), the enforced no-fly zone over the area (Operation Deny Flight), and the air drop of humanitarian aid to the residents of the city of Sarajevo (Operation Provide Promise). During this time, KIDD called upon Corfu and Naples, Italy; Rhodes, Greece; Trieste, Italy; Haifa, Israel; and Antalya and Izmir, Turkey. CTF-60 also participated in exercises with the Sixth Fleet off the coast of Israel and Egypt. With the arrival of USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) and her accompanying task force, the EISENHOWER battle group departed the Mediterranean for Norfolk, ending their deployment.

KIDD returned to the Caribbean on counter narcotics patrol in 1996, under the command of Cdr. John J. Decavage, who had taken command in September of the previous year. During this deployment, the crew painted a pirate on the ship's aft mack (combined mast/stack) in homage to their predecessor of the same name: USS KIDD (DD-661). The ship finished up her cruise with a port visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Mardi Gras celebrations, arriving on February

A harbor tug comes out to meet USS KIDD (DDG-993) as she

returns to port from a lengthy cruise.

05, 1997, in company with USS SHREVEPORT (LPD-12). While in New Orleans, over forty-five of her off-duty crew journeyed upriver to Baton Rouge to visit DD-661 and participate in a work detail, assisting in the elder destroyer's upkeep and restoration. Upon departing New Orleans, KIDD returned home to Norfolk.

Following inspections, DDG-993 was awarded her second consecutive CNO Safety Award, as well as the Engineering Battle "E", and the CIC Battle "E". She set sail on April 16, 1997, for a three-day port visit to Boston, Massachusetts, to coincide with the 100th running of the Boston Marathon. From there, she moved southward to Port Au Prince, Haiti for a community relations project before assuming drug

USS KIDD (DDG-993)—now ROC TZUO-YING

(DDG-1803)—is seen pierside at Suao Naval Base

in Taiwan in November of 2006.  Sistership USS

CHANDLER (DDG-996)—now ROC MA-KONG

(DDG-1805) is tied up outboard of KIDD.

Photo courtesy of NavSource.

Photo contributed to NavSource by John Donnelly.

interdiction duties in the Carribean. She transitted the Panama Canal to the Eastern Pacific on April 30. Following another transit of the Canal and a brief stop in Charleston, South Carolina, KIDD ended her deployment in Norfolk on June 10, 1997. A change of command took place on August 08, 1997, with Cdr. Thomas Andress coming aboard as the new CO.

USS KIDD (DDG-993) was decommissioned on March 12, 1998, and placed into the Reserve Fleet at Norfolk Naval Station.  She was sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 2004 and was commissioned into the Taiwanese Navy on November 03, 2006, as ROC TZUO-YING (DDG-1803) Suao Naval Base in northeastern Taiwan.  She remains active with the Taiwanese Navy.

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**Copyright 1997-2007 by Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission**