During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Rear Admiral Kidd was the Commander of Battleship Division One and the Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commander, Battleship Battle Force. At his first knowledge of the attack, he rushed to the bridge of , his flagship, and "courageously discharged his duties as Senior Officer Present Afloat until "Arizona" blew up from a magazine explosion and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the loss of his life."