Senior Officer Present Afloat, usually referred to as SOPA, is a U.S. Navy term to indicate the most senior officer present in a harbor occupied by more than one U.S. Navy vessel. That officer is essentially commander of all U.S. Navy operations afloat in the harbor, and is responsible to civilian authorities for the action of the ships and the behavior of crews under his or her command.
SOPA is a useful administrative function in foreign ports visited by U.S. Navy vessels. However, SOPA may also be established in continental U.S. ports.
Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd was Senior Officer Present Afloat at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked on December 7, 1941. This is described in his Medal of Honor citation: "He immediately went to the bridge and as Commander Battleship Division ONE, courageously discharged his duties as Senior Officer Present Afloat until the USS Arizona, his Flagship, blew up from magazine explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge, which resulted in the loss of his life." [1]
SOP(A) is the term used for "Senior Officer Present (Ashore)."
Isaac Campbell Kidd was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He was the father of Admiral Isaac C. Kidd Jr. Kidd was killed on the bridge of USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The highest ranking casualty at Pearl Harbor, he became the first U.S. Navy flag officer killed in action in World War II as well as the first killed in action against any foreign enemy.
Frank Jack Fletcher was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Fletcher commanded five different task forces through the war; he was the operational task force commander at the pivotal battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, which collectively resulted in the sinking of five Japanese aircraft carriers.
The Kidd-class destroyers were a series of four guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) based on the Spruance class. In contrast to their predecessor's focus on anti-submarine warfare, the Kidds were designed as more advanced multipurpose ships with the addition of considerably enhanced anti-aircraft capabilities. Originally ordered for the former Imperial Iranian Navy, the contracts were canceled when the 1979 Iranian Revolution began, and the ships were completed for the United States Navy. They were decommissioned in 1999 and sold to Taiwan, where they have served in the Republic of China Navy as the Kee Lung class since 2005.
Joseph Mason "Bull" Reeves was an admiral in the United States Navy and an early and important supporter of U.S. Naval Aviation. Though a battleship officer during his early career, he became known as the "Father of Carrier Aviation" for his role in integrating aircraft carriers into the fleet as a major part of the Navy's attack capabilities.
Norman (Nicholas) Scott was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He was killed along with many of his staff when the ship he was on – the light cruiser USS Atlanta – was hit by gunfire from the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco during the nighttime fighting in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. He was the second of five US Navy admirals killed in battle during WWII, including: Isaac C. Kidd ; Daniel J. Callaghan ; Henry M. Mullinnix ; and Theodore E. Chandler.
Aubrey Wray Fitch was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. A naval aviator, he held important aviation-related commands both at sea and on shore from the 1920s onward. He also served as superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.
Daniel Judson Callaghan was a United States Navy officer who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. In a three-decades-long career, he served his country in two wars. Callaghan served on several ships during his first 20 years of service, including escort duties during World War I, and also filled some shore-based administrative roles. He later came to the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who appointed Callaghan as his naval aide in 1938. A few years later, he returned to command duties during the early stages of World War II. An enemy shell killed Callaghan on the bridge of his flagship, USS San Francisco, during a surface action against a larger Japanese force off Savo Island. He was the third of five US Navy admirals killed in battle during WWII, including: Isaac C. Kidd ; Norman Scott ; Henry M. Mullinnix ; and Theodore E. Chandler.
USS Hayler (DD-997) was a Spruance-class destroyer that served in the United States Navy from 1983 to 2003. Named for Vice Admiral Robert W. Hayler (1891–1980), she was the last ship of her class.
Vice Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo was an officer in the United States Navy, who was a naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II.
USS Kidd (DDG-993) was the lead ship in her class of destroyers operated by the U.S. Navy. Derived from the Spruance-class, these vessels were designed for air defense in hot weather. The vessel was the second named after Medal of Honor recipient Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who was aboard USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was the first American flag officer to die in World War II.
Harry Wilbur Hill was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Zeus (ARB-4) was planned as a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship, but was redesignated as one of twelve Aristaeus-class battle damage repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Zeus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
Vice Admiral Allan Rockwell McCann, was a United States Navy officer who served in World War I and World War II. His US Navy Serial number was 10829.
John Howard Hoover was a United States Navy admiral who held several flag commands during World War II most notably those in the Central Pacific under Chester W. Nimitz. Hoover became one of Nimitz's trusted if little known admirals of the Pacific war.
Bertram Joseph Rodgers was a highly decorated vice admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He received his Navy Cross as captain of USS Salt Lake City in the battle of the Komandorski islands, during the Aleutian Islands Campaign.
James Laurence Kauffman was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. He distinguished himself as commanding officer of destroyer USS Jenkins (DD-42) during World War I and received the Navy Cross, the United States second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
Robert Ward Hayler was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. He was a three time recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy's second highest military decoration for valor. Two of these awards were received while serving as the commanding officer of the light cruiser USS Honolulu at Guadalcanal and Kula Gulf and the third as a rear admiral and Commander, Cruiser Division Twelve during the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944.
Leo Hewlett Thebaud was an admiral of the United States Navy.
Willard Augustus Kitts III was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. An ordnance expert and veteran of several campaigns in the Pacific Theater during World War II, he distinguished himself as Commanding officer of heavy cruiser USS Northampton, which was sunk during the Battle of Tassafaronga in November 1942.
Laurance Toombs DuBose was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of four-star Admiral. A veteran of several conflicts, including both World Wars, he distinguished himself several times as Commanding officer of heavy cruiser USS Portland and Commander, Cruiser Division 13 in the Pacific theater of World War II and received three awards of Navy Cross, the United States Navy second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .