A VFW post in Mercer County is trying to solve a mystery that might be answered in the Alle-Kiski Valley.
Doug Scott was sifting through old photos and documents at the Cpl. James O. Jordan Post 3374 in Greenville, when he found several documents relating to Everett Goodiski, an Army lieutenant who died as a Japanese prisoner of war during World War II. One of the documents was Goodiski’s Purple Heart certificate; another was a March 18, 1947, copy of the New Kensington Daily Dispatch.
The aging, browning newspaper contains an article detailing Goodiski’s death: he was taken prisoner in the Philippines in 1942, and was later transported to Japan. He died in 1945 when the Japanese ship he was on was bombed. According to the article, Goodiski had graduated New Kensington High School and was a resident of Logan’s Ferry when he entered the army.
“I don’t understand the connection to our VFW Post,” Scott said. “We’re probably 70, 80 miles from New Kensington. Whether there was somebody that was at our post that was related to this person, or how our post came to possession of (the documents), I do not know.”
Scott said the article lists Goodiski’s father as William Goodiski, who lived at 162 Colfax Street in Springdale. Scott also found a membership certificate to the Association of Our Blessed Lady of Victory, a charity and spiritual organization connected to a Roman Catholic priest. The certificate belonged to a Martha Goodiski, who, based on his research, Scott believes was Everett’s sister.
Now, Scott is trying to find any surviving members of the Goodiski family, to pass the documents to.
“The paper is on its last legs and the certificate is beautiful,” he said. “I just think it’s something his heirs or his relatives would want. There’s some history there.”
