[Old Pedant]

function test( setValue )
{
    var sel = document.getElementById("attop38");
    for ( var i = 0; i < sel.options.length; ++i )
    {
        if ( sel.options[i].value == setValue ) 
        {
            sel.selectedIndex = i;
            return; // found it and done
        }
    }
    // no match...do nothing?
}

so if i call the function with a 1993 it would select Navy as that is the id of 1993

No. "Navy" is the .text for the <option> with a .value of 1993. There is no id involved in this, except perhaps the id of the <select>. You are using the wrong terminology, which I guess confused the issue.