USS Kidd (DDG-993)

• Namesake: USS Kidd (DDG-993) was named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who was killed aboard USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. • Class and Origins: She was the lead ship of the Kidd-class guided missile destroyers, originally ordered by the Shah of Iran as part of an improved Spruance-class, but taken over by the US Navy after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. • Dustproof Design: The Kidd-class ships were uniquely outfitted with heavy air conditioning and filtration systems for operation in the hot, dusty Middle Eastern environment. • Nickname: The USS Kidd and her sister ships were nicknamed the “Ayatollah” class by sailors due to their Iranian origins. • Commissioning: USS Kidd was commissioned on March 27, 1981, at Pascagoula, Mississippi. • Combat Service: Kidd served with distinction during the 1980s, including participation in Operation Earnest Will, protecting Kuwaiti oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War. • Advanced Capabilities: She was among the most advanced destroyers of her time, featuring enhanced radar, weapons, and electronic warfare systems—ideal for anti-aircraft and anti-ship missions. • Decommissioning: USS Kidd was decommissioned on March 12, 1998, after 17 years of service with the US Navy. • Transfer to Taiwan: In 2006, she was transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, where she was recommissioned as ROCS Tso Ying (DDG-1803). • Legacy: The name “Kidd” lives on in the US Navy with USS Kidd (DDG-100), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer commissioned in 2007, continuing the honor of Rear Admiral Kidd.