Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-08
E Auchincloss' Newport (R. H.

the Auchincloss' Newport Or. H.
home August II.
They stayed overnight at the
Air Force base officers club.
In keeping with Kennedy
tradition, the longtime family
nurse, Luella Hennessey of
Walpole, Mass, fastened to
report for duty at Mrs. Ken
nedy's hospital room. She has
assisted at all but one of the
births of the Kennedy grand
children.
Mrs. Kennedy had planned
to have her baby at Walter
Reed Army Hospital in Wash
ington.
The date which her obStetri-
clan had set was some three
weeks away. Mrs. Kennedy,
following the normal procedure
in Caesarian births, would have
had the baby in late August,
some two weeks before its
regular due date.
Doctor Close by
The 34-year-old First Lady
had taken her two youngsters,
Caroline, So, and John, IT.,
2l2, to nearby stables where
the children were treated to
horseback rides.
They were at a farm area in
Osteryille, not far from Hyan-
mis- Port, where the Kennedy
family stables some horses for
riding. Suddenly, Mrs. Ken
nedy started to have labor
pains.
DR.. Walsh, who had been on
vacation on Cape Cod, was
summoned and Mrs. Kennedy
was driven back to her Squaw
Island home.
BY the time she arrived there,
DR.. Walsh was waiting for her.
He confirmed that the baby
was coming and set the emer-
gency procedure in motion.
Mrs. Kennedy, wearing a
cream-colored shift and straw
hat, was picked up by an Air
Force hellcopter. She was ac-
companied by the doctor and
her secretary, Mrs. Mary Gal
lagher of Alexandria, Va.
The helicopter spanned the
% miles in about II minutes
and Mrs. Kennedy was checked
in at the base hospital at 1l:40
am. Meanwhile, President Ken
nedy got the news in his White
House office from DR.. Janet
Travel, a White House physi-
clan.
Within is minutes after he
was notified, Mr.. Kennedy
stepped into his hehcopter on
the White House lawn and was
off to his wife's bedside.
When his helicopter settled
down at Andrews Air Force
Base, Mr.. Kennedy learned that
all four big Air Force Jet
planes that are part of his
official fleet were unavailable.
One was in Moscow. two others
were under maintenance, and
the fourth was in the air some
20 minutes away.
The frantic father couldn't
wait. An eight-passenger Air
Force Jet Star erved him in
stead for the / hour and 5
minute hop TO Otis.
Late Again
He was too late. The baby
had already been born when
he arrived.
Meanwhile, the Presidents
sister, Mrs. Stephen Smith, was
driving her car in Hyannis
Port business district when she
heard a radio announcement OF
the birth. She fastened to the
hospital to join the President.
BY late afternoon, the deci-
sion was made TO move the baby
TO the Boston hospital and Mr.,
Salinger announced II TO re-
porters clustered about the
entrance to the long, narrow
hospital wing. identified by the
number "3703" on the front.
DR.. James E. Drorbaugh, an
associate physician at the Bos-
ton hospital. had been flown 70
Otis TO consult on the baby's
condition.
After his examination, the
unusual ambulance trip was
decided upon.
When someone commented
TO a Secret Service man on why
such a trip was undertaken only
a few hours after the birth, the
agent declared with q smile:
ftTIota n XnntanA,, &kn.. ati..