David Doyle Books Review - USS Kidd DD-661

Legends of Warfare
USS Kidd (DD-661)
by David Doyle

Reviewed by Martin J Quinn
October 2022

David Doyle Books has released a new title. This one covers the USS Kidd, (DD-661), a Fletcher-class destroyer, which served from World War II through the Cold War, and is now preserved in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, appearing very much like she did on VJ-Day in 1945. This book is 112 pages long, and includes a history of the Kidd, from World War II through her service as a museum ship. There are more than 220 photos, more than half of which are of the Kidd Museum in Baton Rogue.

This book is laid out with an introduction and three subsequent chapters:

- Chapter 1 - World War II
- Chapter 2 - Korean and Cold Wars
- Chapter 3 - Museum Ship

The book is full of great photographs of Kidd's wartime and Korean/Cold War service. There is a hair raising photo of the kamikaze that attacked Kidd on April 11, 1945, as it barrels towards the ship, and photos of the damage incurred after Kidd was stuck by a Swedish freighter in April, 1953 (April was apparently a bad month for Kidd). There are also lots and lots of photos of Kidd as she is today. In fact, most of the photos in this book are detail shots of the ship in her current state. You'll find lots of great details for those wanting to model Kidd, or any other late-war, square-bridge Fletcher.

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Conclusions:

Yet another quality hardcover book from David Doyle. Along with all the photos, it has lots of interesting info: included in her crew on her first voyage was a WAVE, Ens. Anne Randle; the ship's mascot was the pirate Captain Kidd; that the crew asked Issac Kidd's widow for permission to fly the pirate flag, as a sign of respect for the fallen Admiral and her. Another tidbit is that Mrs Kidd went to the Navy on the crew's behalf, to secure permission for them to fly the skull and crossbones, and to get permission for them to paint a portrait of the pirate on the ship. As with all of David's books, naval history buffs and modelers will really like this book . For modelers, there are lots and lots of detail shots for those wishing to build a model of Kidd. Highly recommended.

This is USS Kidd, DD-661 - Legends of Warfare, by David Doyle. Published by Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7643-6465-5. The book retails for $19.99, and is available to order directly from David's website. Thanks to David Doyle Books for the review sample.