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Taken from the Sacramento Bee Newspaper May 29th, 2003. The
subject of the story was Rev. Bill McDonald's keynote address at the California
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Day Event in Sacramento.
Original link:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/community_news/columns/lambert/story/6751260p-7702295c.html
Diana Lambert: Rescued orphan, now a Downieville mom, thanks veterans
By Diana Lambert -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Thursday, May 29, 2003
From the heart: On Sunday, Elk Grove resident Bill McDonald
took the podium at the Capitol to talk about Kathleen Epps, a
Downieville woman rescued by GIs as an infant during the Vietnam War. The
wounded 3 week-old was found clutched in her dead mother's arms after a Viet
Cong raid. She had been without food or water for three days, and soldiers
risked their lives to save her. A nurse at the military hospital ignored orders
on sending civilians to local hospitals and prepared the baby for surgery. They
named her Kathleen. McDonald introduced Marvin Cord of Valley Hi, the soldier
who adopted the baby. He then introduced Kathleen Epps.
"I thanked the veterans," she says. "I told them if it weren't for
them and people like them, I wouldn't be here today. I gave thanks." The tears
flowed. "They all hugged this lady," says McDonald. "What veterans want to hear
is something they did good." Even Epps' husband, Billy, misted up. "Without
these guys, I wouldn't have the beautiful family I have now," he said of his
wife and three daughters. Epps was reunited with nurse Donna Rowe and
medic Richard Hock in Texas in April.
McDonald first heard Epps' story while part of a Huey flight crew
appearing in a documentary, "In the Shadow of the Blade," which looks at the
Vietnam War's impact on a number of people's lives. He didn't know the Cord
family had been living only a few miles from him on the perimeter of Elk Grove.
Talk about your small world. ...
Photo credit - William "Easy" Smith
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Diana Lambert: Rescued orphan, now a Downieville mom, thanks veterans
From the heart: On
Sunday, Elk Grove resident Bill McDonald took the podium at the
Capitol to talk about Kathleen Epps, a Downieville woman rescued
by GIs as an infant during the Vietnam War. The wounded 3 week-old was
found clutched in her dead mother's arms after a Viet Cong raid. She had
been without food or water for three days, and soldiers risked their
lives to save her. A nurse at the military hospital ignored orders on
sending civilians to local hospitals and prepared the baby for surgery.
They named her Kathleen. McDonald introduced Marvin Cord of Valley Hi,
the soldier who adopted the baby. He then introduced Kathleen Epps.
"I thanked the veterans," she says. "I told them
if it weren't for them and people like them, I wouldn't be here today. I
gave thanks." The tears flowed. "They all hugged this lady," says
McDonald. "What veterans want to hear is something they did good." Even
Epps' husband, Billy, misted up. "Without these guys, I wouldn't have
the beautiful family I have now," he said of his wife and three
daughters. Epps was reunited with nurse Donna Rowe and medic
Richard Hock in Texas in April.
McDonald first heard Epps' story while part of a
Huey flight crew appearing in a documentary, "In the Shadow of the
Blade," which looks at the Vietnam War's impact on a number of people's
lives. He didn't know the Cord family had been living only a few miles
from him on the perimeter of Elk Grove. Talk about your small world. ...
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